Yours For The Taking
by ShadoKat
Summary: Imperfect timeline, set after the Nevada takeover. Eric remembers what happened when he had amnesia, and is angry that Sookie kept it from him. Eric will be dark in later chapters. Rated M for ESN and extreme content. My first fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: My first attempt at writing FanFiction. Set after the Nevada takeover but before book 10. Timelines are not perfect. Eric is angry because Sookie didn't tell him everything about their time together and decides he's not going to let her get into another relationship with another man or run from him again, until they work things out. No lemons in this chapter but the M rating will be appropriate later. Please be gentle with me. If you are interested in knowing more I'll keep writing. If this is lousy and boring, please tell me so I can rethink it. Thanks!**

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**Chapter 1: Fly Me Away**

It sure had been a busy day! Sookie had worked the late shift at Merlotte's and there had been a football game at Bon Temps High. The local team had won, and the bar was full of proud supporters in addition to the usual crowd. It was a good thing she was practiced at blocking out the thoughts of those around her, she thought, if the boring sports conversation was any indication of what was inside their heads. She hadn't had a moment to sit down or even catch a breath. So, it was with relief that she finally pulled onto Hummingbird Lane with her house a welcoming sight in the distance.

The security lights were on, as usual. Nothing looked out of the ordinary and she breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't uncommon to find a vampire or a fairy waiting in the yard, or the house for that matter. Tonight she was planning on spending a few extra minutes under the hot shower to un-knot the muscles of her neck and shoulders, and maybe catching up on the latest romance novel that she'd only gotten a quarter of the way into. It was too early to go to sleep.

Unlocking the door, she peeked in and turned on the lights, but no supernatural creatures were sitting in her living room. She headed straight to the kitchen and poured a glass of milk, then she sat down and ate the piece of coconut rum cake she'd brought home. There had also been a birthday celebrated at the bar tonight and the birthday boy had shared his cake with all the waitresses. That probably wasn't the only thing he'd wanted to share, but none of them had been keen to continue the celebration at home with him.

After her shower, during which she'd stood under the nozzle until the water started to cool, she pulled on a cute yellow cotton sleeveless baby-doll with eyelet lace at the collar and ruffles at the shoulders. It had been a gift from Gran a few years back, but somehow it had gotten stuffed in a drawer and forgotten about. She'd found it among her bras and other lacy things when she'd gathered them up to move into Gran's room, which was now hers. It fit her perfectly; Gran had always been good at knowing her size, even though it fluctuated (another word-of-the-day) frequently.

She stood at the sink with her toothbrush for an extra-long time, making sure that she scrubbed every last bit of coconut out of her teeth. Dental work wasn't an expense she wanted to deal with right now. Then she walked across the hall to her bedroom pulling the towel through her still-wet hair. As she came through the door, she let out a yelp and jumped back several inches. From underneath the towel, she'd glimpsed a pair of boots that didn't belong to her! They were sitting neatly at the foot of the bed, separated from their owner.

Her eyes quickly scanned the room and finally traveled upward, taking in the long legs, narrow hips, muscled torso, blue eyes, and long blond hair. Eric stood across the room leaning casually against the closet door frame, beautiful enough to make a girl cry. He was wearing his usual tight black jeans and tank top that emphasized his impossibly wide shoulders and narrow waist. In his hand he held her romance novel, flipping through the pages very quickly. Speed-reading, she supposed. Show-off! He didn't seem to notice her entrance.

"Eric!" she exclaimed. "You scared the life out of me! What are you doing here? How did you get in?" She didn't immediately remember inviting him in again after she'd rescinded his and Bill's invitations into her home some time ago.

He looked up from the book and slowly replaced it on the night stand where he'd found it. "Your windows were open," he said simply, as though that were a fine explanation for showing up in a lady's bedroom while she was in the shower. His eyes were wide, but she wasn't buying any innocent excuse for his being here.

She rolled her eyes in exasperation and folded her arms. "Yes, I know," she sighed. "I opened them." she really should have known better than to open her windows at night given all the things that had happened to her lately, but the warm breeze had felt so good against her face that she'd wanted to enjoy it a while longer.

"Is that really safe?" Eric quipped. It worried him that Sookie would so foolishly leave her windows open like that. He decided to address that concern later, however. Instead he was still playing the innocent, and he knew that she knew he had to have a reason for coming all the way here from Shreveport when he had vampire business to attend to. The Sheriff of Area 5 was a busy man.

"Apparently not," she retorted, looking at him expectantly. But then her thought pattern changed from irritated to worried. "Why are you here? Is something wrong? Pam? Bill?"

"No, no; calm down Sookie!" He held out his hands in front of him, annoyed that Bill's name had come up in her short moment of panic. "Nothing is wrong."

Sookie wasn't buying it. Something was up. She folded her arms and cocked her head to one side, staring at his face with a look of exasperation. She felt a nervous tension that hadn't been there earlier and knew that there was only one place that could be coming from.

Eric and Sookie were bonded. At the disastrous vampire summit in Rhodes that Sookie had attended while working for the late Queen of Louisiana, a horrible vampire named Andre had wanted to gain control of her by forcing her to mutually exchange blood with him. This would have formed the beginnings of a blood-bond that Andre could have used to control her in ways she didn't even want to think about. Eric had come along at exactly the right moment (if you could call it that) and had talked Andre into letting him be Andre's replacement. He'd callously said that Sookie already "heeled" to him nicely and that she'd had his blood before, so he was the natural choice. At the time, Eric had been the lesser of two evils, and she really hadn't had a choice in the matter. Eric and she could now feel each other's emotions and each had a vague sense of where the other was. He was always there in the back of her mind, but now his emotions were front-and-center and wreaking havoc inside of her. What she felt was turmoil, determination, and something else that she couldn't identify.

"I don't believe you, Eric." Her voice was soft but firm.

He had been gazing out of the window, but now he looked her directly in the eye. Sookie sensed that he had made up his mind about something, and his expression was anything but casual. He was staring at her with more intensity than he ever had before. She stared back, slightly uncomfortable but unwilling to show him that.

"I remember, Sookie," he finally said. "I remember everything." He deliberately kept his voice and expression neutral.

She gasped softly and her mouth went dry. Her blue eyes widened and her jaw would have hit the ground if it hadn't been attached. She swayed a little and her hand came up to her chest. To say that she was shocked would have been an understatement. Of all the things Eric might have come to say to her, this was what she'd least expected. The room was silent, his statement hanging in the air like a weight and threatening to come crashing down right on her heart. She couldn't form any words to respond.

Eric had been cursed once by an angry witch who took away his memories. Sookie had found him running down her road in the middle of the night, scared and defenseless, not knowing who or where he was. She'd agreed to let him stay with her, out of sight, until Pam and the other vampires closest to him could find the witch and the curse could be broken. It had only taken a few days and was now referred to as "the witch war."

That first night, Eric had sat quietly in her kitchen like a frightened child while she washed blood and dirt from his bare feet. But any resemblance to a child had quickly evaporated when he'd climbed into the shower with her later. Since then they'd had sex on practically every horizontal surface in the house and a few vertical ones as well. She'd learned more about the virility and stamina of vampires than Bill, her first lover and a vampire, had ever shown her. But it was more than that. Eric had worshiped her body like a rare treasure and gave her more pleasure than she'd ever thought possible. He'd made her feel beautiful and cherished.

He'd needed someone to take care of him, but he'd also needed to feel strong and vital. The only thing he'd had in the world to call his own was her and she'd allowed it, even though she was uncomfortable with the possessiveness of vampires. He'd been unguarded, playful, and had laughed easily, completely unlike the scary vampire she'd known before. She'd found herself falling for this new, and temporary, Eric. Then, of course, his memory had come back and he'd become his arrogant, infuriating, and domineering self again.

She'd counted on his memory of those days never returning for many reasons. The biggest reason was that she didn't want him to think he held any more over her than he already did. It was bad enough that he'd tricked her into a "marriage" of sorts by arranging for her to present him with the ceremonial knife that had been used during their blood-bonding in front of Victor Madden, the number one sidekick of the new King. That meant that, to the vampire community, they were the equivalent of husband and wife. Except they weren't normal spouses because vampires considered humans beneath them, so Eric "owned" her in their eyes. Sookie's modern feminine sensibilities completely objected to that but it did keep other vampires away from her for the most part. Neither of them had ever pushed the issue.

Eric had also buried the body of a woman she'd killed in self-defense back in the woods on her property while he was struck with amnesia. She had no idea how he'd use all of the information he now remembered, but she didn't doubt he would. He never failed to take advantage where he could and she was sure she wouldn't like whatever he had in mind. This was Eric, after all.

With his words still echoing off the walls of her bedroom, Eric pulled himself up into a standing position and took a step forward. She automatically took a step back, still staring at him wide-eyed and silent. She was desperate to keep the bed, or anything, between them. He cocked his head, and his eyes changed. She knew that look. Vampires are predators after all, and she'd just become his prey.

"Eric, I.." Her words stuck in her throat and she stopped, not really knowing what she'd planned to say. She raised both hands, palms forward, in a defensive gesture. He took another step forward, still giving nothing away in his face or body language. Her eyes flickered to the bedroom door and she sidestepped toward it without thinking. Then he moved.

Before she could take another step, or even a breath, her back was pressed flat against the wall next to the door. His big hands were on her shoulders, and he gave her collarbone a caress with his thumb before planting both hands firmly on the wall behind her. She was trapped. She sucked in a breath and closed her eyes, unsure of what he would do. He was so close that she could feel his breath as he prepared to speak. She sensed danger but was oddly unafraid.

"I think," his voice was below a whisper next to her ear but she heard him loud and clear. She sensed, rather than saw, that his fangs had come out. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. He continued to speak slowly and softly, his mouth almost touching her skin. "We have some things to discuss. Do you not agree?" When she felt his breath on her neck, she put both hands on his chest and pressed lightly. Not that she could stop him if he really wanted to bite, but she had to try.

He breathed in slowly and held it, then he rested his forehead against the top of her head. The tension in the room was palpable. She trailed her fingers down his chest and tentatively put her arms around his waist, pulling him closer. It had been weeks since they'd been anywhere near each other, months since they'd been intimate, but somehow touching him still felt natural. She rubbed his back gently with both palms, hoping to soothe him. He was like a coiled snake, ready to strike at the slightest provocation. Sookie realized that he was right. They did need to talk. Whether she wanted to or not.

Finally he raised his head and let out the breath he'd been holding. She heard an audible "click" as he retracted his fangs. The danger had passed, for the moment. She opened her eyes and looked warily up at him. His eyes no longer threatened her, but they still held a question. "Why didn't you tell me, Sookie?"

"Come on, Eric," she replied, smiling weakly. "I did tell you that we slept together!" '_Yeah, after you blackmailed it out of me_,' she thought. She was using the same bright tone that she used with obnoxious customers at the bar. He was still just inches from her, hands still on either side of her shoulders. Suddenly uncomfortable, she tried to slide out from between him and the wall to put some distance between them. He wasn't having that. He put both hands on her shoulders and pressed her firmly back against the wall.

"That is not what I am talking about, and you know it!" His mouth settled into a firm line and his eyebrows came down over his eyes. He was not a happy vampire. Sookie suddenly realized that he hadn't teased her or made a single sexual innuendo since he'd been here. This must really be bothering him!

She was so not ready to have this discussion and she was going to make him spell out exactly what he wanted. She wasn't giving in easily. "What then? You know I killed Debbie Pelt in self-defense. It was your idea to hide the body! Do you plan to blackmail me again?" She folded her arms and looked away, frowning.

His hand appeared under her chin and he tilted her head up, forcing her to look into his eyes. She closed hers again and tried to move her chin away from his fingers. He wouldn't let go. "Look at me!" he commanded. He had a thing about eye-contact. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes. As soon as she did that, his mouth descended on hers. He cupped the back of her head to hold her while his lips and tongue ravished her. The kiss was raw, deep, and hungry, and she felt it all the way to her toes, which curled involuntarily into the soft carpet.

She didn't even hesitate. Something inside her made sure that she responded eagerly, their lips and tongues dancing together in an ancient rhythm that set off a host of other delicious feelings all over her body. Her hands were now clutching the front of his shirt and his body was pressing against hers. She made a whimpering sound in the back of her throat as he took control of the kiss, thoroughly dominating her as he held her in place. It was hard to ignore what was pressing urgently against her abdomen, causing another set of fluttering, hungry sensations in the center of her body.

For his own part, Eric reveled in the soft sounds he heard coming from her. He had been unsure about coming here tonight, unsure of how she would receive him. Felipe DeCastro, the new King of Louisiana, and his sidekick Victor Madden, had demanded much of his time over the past weeks. He'd been building a rapport of sorts with them while he cemented his place in the new hierarchy, and he'd noticed that DeCastro and Madden had what he considered to be an unhealthy interest in Sookie. Unhealthy for her, that is. He hadn't contacted her because he didn't want her anywhere near either of them until he was sure of what was between himself and Sookie. This would better enable him to keep her safe.

Eric didn't like feeling unsure of anything. This tiny little barmaid, whom he should have considered beneath his notice, had somehow shattered every belief that he had about vampires associating with humans. Vampires used humans for blood and sex; they didn't care about them. When they wanted continued companionship from them they kept them as pets. They didn't want to keep them safe and hidden from the eyes of those who might be a danger. Yet that was exactly what Eric wanted to do for Sookie. He didn't want her anywhere near Madden or DeCastro. And he couldn't remember the last time, if ever, he had ever cared how a human woman felt about him. The feelings that he felt toward Sookie, the ones he couldn't identify on his own, had truly shaken him to his core. He also respected her for the way she had always stood up to him and others of his kind but he was reluctant to let her know that.

Feelings aside, though, Eric knew that Sookie would soon be very angry at him once she found out what his plan was for this evening.

Finally, Sookie had to come up for air. She nipped softly at his lower lip with her teeth and he reluctantly pulled back. '_Damn,' _she thought. He did remember that signal she'd always used with him. '_I wonder what else he remembers_.' She hoped he didn't notice the blush that appeared and made her face feel hot at that thought.

Eric's eyes were wild and his breathing was ragged (even though he didn't technically need to breathe). So was hers, and her knees were weak. "That, Sookie, is what I am talking about." he growled at her. She was leaning heavily against him and he held her arms to steady her back against the wall. He didn't move away to allow her her space; instead he placed those hands again on either side of her shoulders. He looked down at her, and cocked an eyebrow.

Damn him; he could feel what he had awakened inside of her! Her face flushed again hotly and she turned her head away. Predictably, he cupped her cheek and brought her gaze back to him. She closed her eyes and sighed, leaning into his hand. "What do you want me to say, Eric?" her eyes fluttered back up to look into his. "It was always, well, good between us. I never denied that!" Very, very good. More than very good. But his ego didn't need another boost.

"No!" His frustration caused his ancient accent to come out, the one she only heard in unguarded moments or when he was upset. "If it were only sex I would lay you back on that bed and fuck you until you could not walk!" His hand gestured sharply toward the bed in question and then gripped her shoulder, shaking her once for emphasis. Finally, he moved away from her and turned around, raking his hands through his golden hair. She could feel his anger through their bond and wondered why it had so suddenly flared. "Do not," he wheeled back around and pointed his finger at her when she straightened away from the wall, "try to leave this room!" His voice was quiet, and deadly, and his fangs were still out. He must have seen her gaze flicker to the door again.

She hugged herself and leaned back against the wall, rubbing her arms to combat the chill she'd felt when he left her. Goosebumps had erupted all over her upper body and she shivered. She stood there like a mouse locked in the eyes of a hawk, unsure of what to say or do. This was strange. She was never at a loss for words, and neither was Eric. She wanted to bolt, but she didn't think she'd get five steps before he caught her and dragged her back.

She took two steps forward, earning a warning glare from Eric, and stopped to stand between him and the wall. She needed him to calm down before he got her riled up and one of them said or did something they'd regret. She whispered, hesitantly, afraid to look at him. "Ah... A lot happened while you were here."

"Yes, I know that!" he exclaimed with exasperation. "Today," he continued, "before I rose, I had a very strange dream. You and I lay in this bed together speaking words of love to each other. Tell me, did I imagine that? Do not lie to me, Sookie." He kept his back to her because he didn't want her to see in his face how much the answer to that question really meant to him.

This was something she definitely had not expected. She floundered, unsure of what to say. He must have felt her trepidation through the bond because he said "Tell me." This was an order, not a request. He finally turned to face her, keeping his expression neutral.

What could she do? She would never lie to Eric, even if the bond wouldn't reveal it, no matter how angry she was at him. "You didn't imagine that," she said quietly, unable to meet his eyes. Then another thought occurred to her and she stared at him with huge eyes. "Wait a minute!" she exclaimed. "Vampires don't dream. You told me that!"

Eric really had to struggle to keep his own disbelief from showing on his face. He had wondered about this development as he'd traveled here tonight to see her. "Indeed." he responded cryptically.

Sookie stood there a moment before realizing that he didn't plan to say anything more about it. Then she shook her head and sighed again, wishing just this once that he could read _her_ mind. Sometimes he seemed so distant and unfeeling! When he'd left she'd felt cold, abandoned. She hadn't been prepared for him to lose the memory of their time together when he regained the rest of his memories.

Losing the Eric she'd come to love so suddenly and unexpectedly had left her reeling with sorrow and disappointment. But she'd worked really hard to stuff those feelings in a tiny little box and bury them in the back of her mind. Now as he stood before her looking stoic and unruffled as usual, she was finding it hard to keep cool herself. What right did he have to demand answers from her when he had just up and left like that? And then he'd stayed away even though it should have been obvious that they had some unfinished business between them! Suddenly she couldn't hold it in.

"You don't understand, do you?" she shouted at him. "What could I do, Eric? Tell me! You are the big bad Viking, the ruler of Fangtasia and the Sheriff Area 5! _You_ left _me_! You went back to your life like nothing had happened! Where did I fit into that picture?"

His mouth had settled into a hard line when she'd raised her voice. His arms were folded, and he was glaring at her. She was taking her chances making him angry like this, but, dammit, he'd provoked her! He rolled his fingers in the air, telling her to continue. She rolled her eyes at his impatient gesture.

"What was I supposed to do? Was I supposed to just walk into Fangtasia and say, 'Hi, Eric! You told me you loved me and wanted to give all of this up to be with me. I know you don't remember that but...'?" She was very close to crying and trying hard to keep the tears from spilling on to her cheeks. "You would have laughed and had me thrown out!" she pointed in the general direction of outside to emphasize her point.

"Would I?" His voice was deadly quiet. "Are you absolutely sure about that?" He advanced on her again and she put up a hand to stop him.

"Yes! I am!" her voice was starting to break. "You talk about the vermin who hang around your bar, the fang bangers, the humans who are beneath you. Well, in case you haven't noticed, I'm human! What can I be to someone like you? You can't glamour me, and I will NOT willingly sit at your feet like a pet or a slave!"

She would do just exactly that if he wanted her to, he thought arrogantly. He didn't say it out loud. If she knew exactly how much control he was capable of exercising over her, she would freak out, scream at him, and try to run, in that order. He preferred to avoid that possibility.

"You think that is what I want from you?" Now he looked surprised, incredulous (another word-of-the-day). "You are so wrong about that. You have no idea how wrong you are." The tone of his voice hadn't changed, and now he was walking slowly toward her, stalking her again. She couldn't help but to take a step back. And he did it again.

This time she ended up on the bed, and he was hovering over her. He held her wrists in his hands pinned on either side of her head. "Dammit, Eric! Stop doing that! Let me go!" She tried to squirm out of his grasp but he was determined to hold her there. His fangs were out but he made no attempt to bite her.

"Now I have a few things to say, Sookie Stackhouse, and you will listen!" She guessed she had no choice in the matter. "You have deeply offended me. We are bonded, and you have discounted and ridiculed that bond. I was tolerant because you are not Vampire and do not know the truth of what it means. But no longer." His blue eyes had turned to steel to match the tone of his voice. He was deadly serious.

"What are you..." she started to ask.

"I am not finished!" He never raised his voice but she knew better than to interrupt him again. "In addition to being bonded, we are pledged to each other, another fact you have chosen to ignore. You have defied me by going out with other men. I would be perfectly within my rights to punish you severely for this."

Well, now he had her attention. Punish her? What kind of medieval bullshit was this? She could feel his anger and sense of self-righteousness. She also felt hurt and a sense of betrayal coming from him. She stared at him, dumbfounded and, again, speechless. She didn't understand where he was going with this conversation.

Eric knew he'd gotten her attention and wasn't sorry for using harsh words. He felt an extreme need to make her understand the way things were in vampire society. On the first night they had met he had felt drawn to her and had made up his mind that she would be his. Bill Compton had been a fool to bring her before him innocent, untasted, and unbonded. If not for the police raid he would have demanded that Compton give her to him that night.

In a way he was thankful that some events had transpired as they had. If he had taken her that first night and had his way with her, he could not be certain that he wouldn't have used her in such a way that would make her hate him. While it hadn't mattered to him at first, he found that it would matter a great deal to him now. He wanted more from her than just fucking and feeding. Even without her gift he knew that she was special enough to be placed far above the other humans. His biggest regret was that he had not done enough to secure her affections for himself and, as a result, had had to watch as she became involved with other men. The thought of those other men made him very angry.

Sookie watched the play of emotions on Eric's face and was about to ask him what he was thinking when his grip tightened on her wrists to the point of pain. "Eric!" she complained. "You're hurting me!" He immediately let go and sat up on the edge of the bed, his face in his hands. She began to rub the circulation back into her wrists and moved to sit up next to him. Then his hand was on her chest, pushing her back down and holding her there. She had never been afraid of Eric, even when she'd seen him in all-out vampire mode and watched him kill people. This, however, was starting to make her very nervous. His behavior and the remark about punishment made it impossible for her to hold her tongue any longer.

"This is America, Eric. Not the Middle East." She spoke calmly, trying to reason with him, but she didn't feel calm at all. "Women are not possessions here, especially not in this day and age. You can't do anything to me for going out with other men."

That was not what Eric wanted to hear. "Can't I?" he hissed, getting right up in her face.

Sookie knew she had to stand her ground with him. "No, Eric, you can't!" She said it with far more conviction than she felt.

Her denial had infuriated him. If he'd ever doubted that what he was planning to do was right, Sookie had just erased that doubt. Now was the time to show her where she stood with him and educate her about how it was to be with a real vampire. The time for soft words and tenderness would come later. He knew she was going to fight him on this and decided that swift action would be the best. His decision made, he bent to put his boots back on.

"Are you leaving?" Sookie asked in surprise. She didn't want to continue arguing with him, but she didn't want him to just leave in the middle of one, either.

"No," Eric replied simply, finishing tying his boots. With no further explanation he turned around, scooped Sookie up into his arms, and headed for the front door.

"What the hell!" Sookie shouted and began struggling against his hold. "Eric Northman! You put me down this minute, dammit!"

"Be silent, woman," was his only reply. He kept walking right out onto the front porch, pausing only to lock the door behind him with a key she didn't know he had. "I tire of this argument. We are going, now."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" she was just catching on to what he planned to do and had no intention of going along with it. Her struggles increased so that it was difficult for even him to hold on to her. "I am not going anywhere with you! Put me down!" She was pushing at his chest and shoulders trying to loosen his hold.

"I am your bonded, and your mate, Sookie," he replied harshly. "Have you forgotten so quickly?" He kept walking, out into the middle of the front yard. "And no, I will not put you down." He actually thought Sookie's attempts to get away from him were funny but he wisely kept from smiling. He didn't want to anger her more than he was about to.

"Wait a minute! Eric! This is ridiculous!" Only then did she look around and notice what was missing. "Where is your car?" She was having no luck getting him to let go of her and did not like where things seemed to be going.

"I flew," Eric answered, finally coming to a stop. "Now stop fighting me and hold on tight!"

Sookie was starting to panic. She was scared of heights and didn't want to fly with Eric anywhere. "No, Eric, please! No!" Tears had started to flow freely from her eyes.

Eric knew that he had to do something to calm her, so he did something he had never thought he would do. He opened his side of the bond fully and sent calm and strength to her. He had vowed to himself that he wouldn't take unfair advantage of her by influencing her emotions as many vampires did to their bonded humans. But this was different. He _was_ taking her with him, whether she liked it or not. He realized now that he should have brought his car but there was nothing he could do to change that fact.

Sookie felt what he was doing and asked point blank, "are you forcing me to calm down?" He thought that she was much too intelligent and perceptive for his own good.

"Yes, because I do not want you to fear. I will not drop you and we will get there quickly this way." He was honest; she had to give him that.

"Eric, please, I don't want to go with you!" Sookie finally admitted defeat when he again refused to put her down. Then she realized that she was only wearing pajamas. "Eric, I am not going with you to Fangtasia dressed like this!"

"We are not going to Fangtasia," he told her. "We are going home. Hold on tight." Before she could respond, he took to the air.

Sookie screamed and buried her face in his chest, locking her arms around his neck like a vise. "I swear, if I don't die of a heart attack I am going to kill you when we get there!" She yelled at him. For the first time that night, she heard him laugh.

In a car, it would have taken over an hour to drive from Bon Temps to Shreveport driving the speed limit. They made it there in a matter of minutes. As they touched down in the back yard of a big, dark house, Sookie decided not to think about how fast they must have been going. She never got a chance to see the yard as he typed a code into a security panel, opened a pair of French doors, and hurried them inside.

Eric set her down and turned on the light. She looked around, stunned. She was standing in a dream kitchen! There was an island with a teal colored countertop and a sink, a huge pantry, and counter space galore. The cabinets were fronted with teal, pink, and gold frosted glass and black framing. There were professional-looking stainless steel appliances, including a huge French-door refrigerator and a double oven. The tile floor had an intricate modern pattern of teal and black and looked very expensive. There was a break in the wall and she could see through it into what looked like a huge family room. Sookie momentarily forgot her anger. "Wow!" was all she could think to say.

Eric chuckled and she hoped he had recovered from his black mood. He took her hand and led her through the darkened rooms, not bothering to give her the full tour. Then he scooped her back into his arms and flew down a flight of stairs, through two sets of security doors with retina and fingerprint scanners, finally depositing her on the softest, plushest carpet she had ever felt. Of course, they were in his underground resting place, and it was all Eric.

The walls were painted a dark red and there were no windows. The furniture was very dark wood, almost black. There was a huge armoire against the wall opposite the bed flanked by two tall chests-of-drawers. On the side wall there was an open door, beyond which was a huge walk-in closet, and an arch which led through an alcove with a vanity on one side and another closet opposite. Beyond that was the bathroom, which was dark so she couldn't see it.

The bed was huge and had to be bigger than even a California king. Of course, a man of Eric's size would need something like that. Not surprising, the sheets and pillowcases were red. The sheets were covered by the softest black velvet comforter that she had ever touched. Coming out of her reverie, Sookie finally remembered why she was there and rounded on Eric, ready to let him have it.

He stood a few feet away, watching her. He could feel Sookie's anger and fear through the bond and hated that he'd caused it. At the same time, though, he felt immense relief and satisfaction at finally having her here with him. He had dreamed of this moment ever since he'd first met her.

"Well, now I'm here," she spat at him. "Whatever you had in mind, you'd better get on with it." Sookie was afraid in this moment, knowing that there was no way for her to get back out through all the security until he was ready to let her go. She straightened her spine and looked him in the eye, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing how afraid she really was.

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**Warning: Chapter 2 contains content depicting Eric giving Sookie a cruel punishment. Many have been shocked by chapter 2 so I thought I would prepare you. Please continue at your own risk. Thanks!**

******* Many many thanks in advance for your reviews! *******


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I was overwhelmed by the number of people who have reviewed or added this story (or me) to their alerts. Thank you so much for that! I will do my best not to let you down.**

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!WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned!

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**There is Q and A at the end of the chapter explaining how my story and timeline relate to the events in the book. I hope you'll take the time to read it! Thank you! :-)**

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**Do you need a beta? If so, contact me and I'll help you out!**

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**Charlaine Harris owns these characters. I'm only borrowing them for a little while.**

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**Previously:**

"Well, now I'm here," she spat at him. "Whatever you had in mind, you'd better get on with it." Sookie was afraid in this moment, knowing that there was no way for her to get back out through all the security until he was ready to let her go. She straightened her spine and looked him in the eye, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing how afraid she really was.

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**Chapter 2: Slave Labor?**

Eric walked slowly forward and moved to take both of her hands in his. With a glare, Sookie snatched them from his grasp and folded her arms. "Fine, have it your way," he snapped at her. He put his hands on her shoulders and walked her backward to the foot of the bed, and then moved his hands to her waist and lifted her high enough to toss her back into the center of the bed. Immediately Sookie scrambled to the far side, intending to jump off and retreat to the corner of the room. "Stay there!" Eric growled at her, flashing fang and regarding her with narrowed eyes. Wisely, she heeded his words and instead scooted back to lean against the headboard. Satisfied that she wasn't going anywhere, Eric turned and left the room.

As soon as Eric was out of her sight, Sookie took a moment to think about what had just happened. Her so-called quiet evening at home had not turned out one bit like she'd planned. Instead, Eric had essentially kidnapped her, and nobody knew where she was. She closed her eyes and pressed her fingertips to her temples, trying not to panic. Her breathing was shaky and she willed herself to calm down. With his Vampire senses, she knew that Eric could hear her heart beating way too quickly, and she was sure he could smell her fear.

"_Be rational Sookie!_" she told herself. "_He's never hurt you before! He's not going to now!_" She hugged herself and rubbed her upper arms with her palms trying to calm her nerves. Eric was capable of terrible things; she had seen that firsthand. But he had always been gentle with her. She knew, deep down, that physical harm was not something she needed to worry about when it came to Eric. But that didn't mean that she had nothing to fear from him. That thought brought on a whole new wave of panic and she couldn't control her shaking.

Looking for something, anything, to distract her, Sookie turned and regarded the huge painting above the headboard. Anyone would recognize it but she wondered why Eric had chosen it. "Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh was one of the most beautiful pieces of art Sookie had ever seen, but she wondered why an ancient vampire would not choose instead a painting depicting the sunlight he had lost. This was just another part of the mystery that was Eric Northman.

Sookie began absently running her fingers along the smooth lines of the intricately carved headboard. It was beautiful, depicting two lions facing each other surrounded by scrollwork, and a family crest centered above the two lions. The posts at the foot of the bed were thickly carved, also featuring intricate lions facing forward. (A/N see link below for bed photo). She couldn't help but wonder if Eric had carved this himself. Her heart warmed involuntarily at the thought of Eric, shirtless, lovingly shaping the wood beneath his hands with ancient tools inherited from his father. The thought of him shirtless warmed other parts of her body as well. She heard a sound and turned to find the object of her musings standing in the door staring at her, his face unreadable. She flushed hotly as she realized he would have felt her tenderness and lust as she thought of him through their bond.

Eric had been caught off guard as he walked back toward his bedroom from his office. He'd taken the time to text Pam to tell her that Sookie was with him and that he wouldn't be appearing at Fangtasia for at least a week. He'd checked his email and was pleased to receive a message from Bobby Burnham, his day man, assuring him that the orders he'd given regarding Sookie's home were being carried out. She'd find out about that later. It was time to get things underway.

He had found Sookie admiring the bed he had carved shortly after he had arrived in Shreveport and decided to put down roots here. She was tracing the face of one of the carved lions with her fingertip, a look of awe on her face. He deliberately kicked the door frame as he stood there so she couldn't accuse him of sneaking up on her. He was pleased that she had obeyed him by remaining where she was. The feelings he'd felt coming from her through the bond made him hopeful that the coming days might not be so difficult.

Sookie's tender feelings were replaced by irritation and anger as Eric came forward to sit on the bed with her. He bent down to remove his boots and socks, then took off his shirt and sat leaning against the headboard next to her. He reached out to take her in his arms but she stiffened and tried to pull away from him. Unmoved, he tightened his grip and firmly pulled her, struggling, into his lap. "Be still, Sookie!" he ordered.

Unable to fight his strength, she stopped struggling but sat rigidly upright, refusing to lean back against his chest as he obviously wanted her to. "Are you going to tell me what this is about now?" she demanded.

"For starters," he replied, "we are going to strengthen our blood bond. Starting now." He finished his statement and waited for her fury.

Sookie was so surprised that she turned around fully to look him in the eyes. "You are kidding, right?" There was no way she was going to do what he wanted and she told him so.

"I am completely serious." Eric had of course anticipated her refusal but he was not going to take 'no' for an answer.

"What planet are you from?" Sookie could not believe that he was sitting there with a straight face and expecting her to do this. Not after he had so completely abandoned her the way he had. There was no way.

He had the audacity to laugh at her question, but then turned deadly serious. "We _are_ going to do this, Sookie, and right now. The only choice you have here is whether you want to make it easy or hard for yourself." He leveled her with a gaze that said, in no uncertain terms, that he was more than capable of carrying out his threat. He put both arms around her and raised his knees, forming somewhat of a cage around her body.

"I don't have to do anything I don't want to do, Eric!" she yelled at him. She started fighting against him, struggling wildly to extricate herself from his hold. "Let. Go. Of. Me!"

Eric let her continue to struggle until she kicked him in the ribs, but then his fangs extended fully and he growled. Before she could think, he had caught both of her wrists in one hand and had pulled her tightly back against his chest with that arm, while his other arm came up around her knees and forced her legs to be still. He held her this way until she gave up and stopped struggling. "I knew you would see things my way," he said simply.

Sookie admitted defeat and relaxed in his hold, but he still held on tightly. "Eric, you know I don't want to do this," she would try to reason with him. "Why are you forcing me?" She would have liked to look in his eyes to ask the question, but the way he held her kept her from turning around.

He thought about her question for a few seconds, deciding how much he wanted to tell her right then. He planned to talk to her about everything eventually, but this was about establishing the foundation of their relationship. He would not demean her as other vampires did their humans because he respected her. However, she needed to understand that obedience to him was necessary and very important for their safety. She would be angry but there was no getting around that. His decision made, he replied, "It is my desire that we do this, and we will do it."

Tired of this constant battle of wills that she never seemed to win, Sookie lashed out. "You are such a jerk! I hate you."

Eric could feel through the bond that she didn't mean it, and so he didn't reply. Instead he asked, "If I let you go, will you stop hitting me?" She nodded and he released her only long enough to pull her firmly back against his chest. "You must take it quickly or it will close, understand?" She nodded again. They had done this before.

He bit his wrist until the blood flowed, then held it up to Sookie. She gave him a dirty look but didn't hesitate, then pulled it to her lips with both hands and started to suck. He groaned with pleasure, his cock hardening instantly. He put his other hand onto her abdomen and pulled her back against his hardness, grinding into her. Then he swirled his tongue over the pulse point on her neck and bit harder than he'd intended to, flooding his mouth with her life's essence. "_Mine, all mine!_" he thought.

She eeped and jumped, but didn't stop feeding. As soon as she'd taken his cool, sweet blood into her mouth, she'd felt fire in the woman's center of her body. Her breasts felt heavy and the nipples hardened. She felt Eric grinding against her behind and pushed back into him. His hand came up under her nightgown and cupped her breast, and she moaned softly. He rolled her nipple with his fingers and then pinched and pulled it roughly before moving his hand to the other breast where he did the same thing.

Sookie freed one of her hands to push his against her chest and then reached down behind her seeking to find him between their bodies. She whimpered when she found him still covered by his jeans and couldn't maneuver her fingers to undo the fly. He did it for her and hissed when her hand encased the head. She swirled the drop of moisture from the tip around the head, then gripped tightly and began to move up and down his velvet shaft as much as she could in the restricted space. He moaned and moved with her to increase the friction.

Eric's fingers slipped inside her panties and found that tiny bundle of nerves that was her clit. He dipped a finger inside her channel, finding her hot and wet, and stroked a molten moist trail back up to swirl around it before flicking and pinching it alternately. Sookie was mad with desire by then and a harsh cry erupted from her throat as she continued to drink. He matched it with his own and drew deeply from her. He had forgotten how good she tasted!

Their hands were frantic on each other while their mutual exchange of blood allowed them to drink longer than would normally be safe. Eric finally ripped her panties from her so that she could lift up and impale herself on him. The dominant side of him rejoiced as his hands and teeth held her tightly to prevent escape. They moved urgently together while his fingers teased and rubbed and pinched her nub with vampire speed, and suddenly they both stiffened as they found their release.

Eric growled savagely and pulled his fangs from Sookie's neck, licking the spot to stop the bleeding. Sookie felt no need to be loud. "Eric!" she whimpered passionately for him, licking and then kissing his wrist as the wound closed on its own. Together they leaned back against the headboard feeling little aftershocks, he still hard inside of her. Sated and for the moment content, he cupped her breasts gently, enjoying the weight of them in his large hands. She brought her hand up to stroke his cheek tenderly and he kissed her in that spot behind her ear that he knew drove her crazy. Goosebumps erupted all over her arms and she shivered, which made him smile with satisfaction. Both of them were awestruck as they realized how right and perfect it felt, but neither said it out loud.

"Eric," she drawled lazily, "I know I should be really pissed off at you right now." She could feel him smile against her skin. "But that was incredible."

In complete agreement, he put both arms around her waist and held her tightly. "It has been too long, my lover," he whispered. They sat like that and dozed for a few minutes, but all too soon Sookie tried to move away. When Eric only tightened his hold on her, she explained, "human needs." With a growl, he let go, hating to relinquish the warmth of her surrounding him.

As Sookie got up and went into the bathroom, Eric felt a need to take care of her. He tucked himself back into his tight jeans and got up. Walking down the hall toward the refrigerator that he'd had installed in his office, he paused. He had never felt such an instinct toward a human as long as he could remember. Yet he'd jumped up without thinking, intending to get some of the food he'd ordered Bobby Burnham to stock the refrigerator with, so that Sookie could have something to eat. Eric was selfish by nature and these feelings were new to him.

He had taken care of Pam, of course, but she was Vampire and his child. Of course he would have cared for her. But this feeling for Sookie was foreign to him. Reaching the refrigerator, he pulled out a package of deli turkey, another of cheddar cheese, some sliced, fresh rolls, a diet cola, and a prepared chef's salad with all the trimmings. Bobby had gone into Sookie's house one day while she was at work, using the key that Eric had made without her knowledge. Bobby had written down what kinds of foods she had in her kitchen, and Eric had ordered him to deliver duplicates of everything in preparation for tonight. Because of this, Eric knew that Sookie would like anything he took to her. At least he hoped so, because human food was something he knew nothing about.

Sookie was leaning against the headboard again when Eric walked back into the room. Her eyes widened when she saw what he was carrying. Suddenly self-conscious, Eric put the tray down onto the mattress and pushed it toward her. "You must eat something, Sookie," he said simply, and turned to leave the room.

"Eric, wait a minute!" Her voice stopped him. He turned. "I appreciate this and all, I mean, but…" she hesitated. Eric cocked his head to the side and waited for her to finish her thought. She finally said, "You don't need to do this. You got your blood exchange and I'd like to go now. I can just eat after I get home." Sookie was desperate to get out of this house and out of Eric's clutches. She was finding it more and more difficult to maintain a disdainful manner toward him and wanted to be alone to think about what it might mean.

"You are not going home," he said over his shoulder as he continued out of the room.

"What?" she shrieked, jumping up to follow him. She caught up with him in the doorway of his office. He didn't have anything to do in there, but he'd wanted to be alone for a few minutes while he pondered his newfound feelings and actions toward Sookie. He turned and waited. "What do you mean, I'm not going home?" Eric could feel her confusion and anger through the bond and regretted it, since they had just shared such a special and intimate experience. The mutual sharing of blood with anyone was sacred to vampires.

"You heard me, Sookie," he responded. "You are not going home. Or, should I say, you are already home. Your home is here with me now." He folded his arms and leaned against the door frame.

Sookie knew she must look like an idiot, standing there with her mouth open looking at Eric. Of course, he looked calm and perfect, like he always did. She looked for anything in his face that might hint that he was joking with her, and found nothing. "Eric, be serious. You can't mean that!"

"I can and I do." They would sit down and talk through all of this later. He had known she would be angry at his taking the choice away from her, and would believe that her human laws would prevent this. But vampires had lived for centuries by their own laws. They tolerated human laws to keep up the appearance of mainstreaming, but they did things their own way. If any of Sookie's human friends, relatives, or law enforcement officials tried to interfere they would be glamoured. Supernaturals like Bill Compton or the shifter Sam Merlotte would know that Eric's claim on Sookie was absolute and they could do nothing to change it.

Eric had allowed Sookie to keep her independence after their pledging because he had believed she would come to him on her own. Instead, he had been forced to watch as an endless parade of suitors had lined up to compete for her affections. There were several reasons why he had decided to take action. The first he would tell her, that allowing her to do as she had done made him look weak and cast doubt upon her character for being unfaithful to him. The second, he wasn't so sure about telling her. The depth of his feelings for her had made them impossible to ignore any longer. If he had to endure another incident like the one where she had walked out her door in front of him on Quinn's arm, he might snap and kill the man she was with. He already had every intention of killing Quinn but wanted to do it in such a way that Sookie would never find out. There were other reasons that he hoped never to have to mention.

This was the last straw as far as Sookie was concerned. Eric's high-handed ways had always been irritating, and were sometimes amusing. This, however, couldn't be allowed to happen. "No, Eric!" She looked into his eyes pleading for him to tell her she had somehow misunderstood. All she saw there was determination. "You can't do this!"

Eric would not allow Sookie to question him on this. He walked back and gently placed a hand on either side of her face, tilting it so that she was looking up at him. He kissed her softly on the lips, surprised that she let him. "It is done. Go now, and have something to eat. We will talk more later."

Sookie was not ready to back down. "Eric. NO."

He sighed and closed his eyes for a few seconds. He really didn't want to fight with her. When he opened them, they were slits of blue steel. "Sookie, I find that I highly dislike the word 'no' coming from your lips." They stood and stared at each other, neither willing to back down. Eric finally decided to take action. He squeezed her shoulders and brought his face down level with hers. "You will not disobey me. Now do as I say!" His face and his voice were hard because he wanted her to get the message loud and clear.

Sookie stared back at him for a few more seconds but then her stomach growled. He cocked an eyebrow and smirked, which just infuriated her more. She shook her head and threw up her hands in disbelief. Deciding that it wasn't worth angering him over such a small thing as needing to eat, she scowled and turned away, heading for the bedroom. 'Pick your battles wisely,' her Gran had always said. That seemed to apply here. But she couldn't let him keep her here against her will. He had no right.

Eric's eyes gleamed with triumph as she walked away. He greatly admired the sway of her hips in that tiny little nightgown. He'd had Pam purchase some clothing in Sookie's size for when he brought her here. He seriously considered waiting to tell her so she'd think she had nothing to wear but the nightie. That would be very pleasant for him! Still wearing his trademark smirk, he went to sit behind his desk and think.

Sookie went back to the bedroom and sat on the bed. If he wanted her to eat here, she'd get crumbs everywhere! The thought made her chuckle. She began to pick at the salad after adding some delicious ranch dressing. Curiously, it was her favorite brand. The meat and bread provided for her sandwich was top quality and very delicious. She thought that Eric must have gone to a great deal of trouble to have her favorite things here for her. That thought led her to realize that he must have been planning all of this, and she wondered how long ago he had started plotting. She was in the middle of that thought when Eric came back into the room.

Her heart jumped into the back of her throat when she saw him. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He hadn't bothered to put his shirt back on and she couldn't help but admire the hardened plane of his chest. She knew all too well what it was like to lean against that chest and stroke her fingers through the thatch of golden hair there. Her eyes traveled down to the perfect six-pack of his stomach where another trail of golden hair started and led downward… she gulped and forced her eyes to return to his face. She had to talk to him. Ogling him wouldn't accomplish anything but stroking his ego. "_Instead of other things I'd like to stroke._" Sookie shook her head hard at that point and fixed him with a stare of tight-lipped anger.

Eric, of course, had felt every emotion that ran through her head. He knew how much she desired him and would use that to his advantage. He wanted to gain her cooperation in staying here with him before he told her all of the reasons why it was necessary. Knowing how much she liked to look at him, he stretched his arms above his head, an unnecessary action since Vampires' muscles didn't tense up, and ran his palms down the front of his chest and abdomen. He loved the way her eyes followed his hands. Then he smiled and went to sit next to her. "Enjoying your dinner?" he asked, his eyes twinkling. Women everywhere stared at him and he had never had a problem getting one into his bed, human or supernatural. It pleased him more than he was willing to admit that _Sookie_ found him attractive.

Mortified at having been caught staring, Sookie blushed and looked at the empty salad bowl. She had been surprised to find that she was famished, and had devoured the salad along with two sandwiches. "Thanks, Eric. It was really good." She looked into his eyes then and remembered that she had questions. "Eric?"

"Yes?" he knew she had more questions and prepared himself for more of the anger he knew she would direct at him.

"Why did you have all of this food here?" She struggled to keep any accusation out of her tone of voice, hoping he would tell her the truth.

"For you," he replied matter-of-factly as though her being here was nothing out of the ordinary.

She scowled and tried again. "I gathered that, Eric." She sighed and looked deeply into his eyes. "But _why_? Why am I here? Why are you determined to keep me here?"

He wasn't ready to tell her everything and he chose to elaborate on their earlier conversation. "You are mine, Sookie. I told you that I will no longer tolerate you avoiding me and seeing other men. I meant it. I waited for you to come to me on your own. You did not, so I took action." In his mind he was absolutely right.

His words had struck a nerve. She could not keep from raising her voice. "_Avoiding_ you? Avoiding _you_! I don't think I heard that right, because it hasn't been me doing the _avoiding_! I haven't seen you in over a month, and you accuse me of _avoiding_ you? You knew exactly where I was! You didn't need your damned blood bond to find me at Merlotte's or my house!"

Now it was Eric's turn to be surprised. It had been necessary for him to stay away to keep her out of sight of Madden and DeCastro. Didn't she realize that? "I will not explain myself to you, Sookie, except to say that staying away these past weeks has been for your safety! Or did you hope to be noticed by Felipe and forced into his service? Wanting to take a permanent vacation to Las Vegas, are you?" He deliberately frightened her with his words. She needed his protection, whether she thought she wanted it or not. He would protect her but he demanded everything from her in return. She would know that soon enough. She would soon understand how powerful he was in the supe world, and how lucky she was that she had him.

Her eyes had widened and her body had started to shake at his words. "But, he promised…" she began.

"He promised you the protection of his kingdom. He did not promise that he would not take you, use you, exploit you, in any way he chose!" Felipe did owe Sookie the protection of his kingdom because she had saved his life. But his utter lack of consideration for humans tainted his promise to her. His kingdom would protect her, but Felipe himself wanted to enslave her. Eric would not let him do that.

She continued to stare at him through huge eyes, but soon she realized that she had more questions for him. Her mind made up, she continued, "If you stayed away because of Felipe, why are you mad at me?"

"You forget, dear one. We completed our bond in Rhodes, before any of this business with Felipe. That was the night you became truly mine." He paused to set that sink in.

Sookie was still confused. "Eric, you did that to save me from Andre. You didn't want it any more than I did!"

"Are you so sure of that?" he grabbed her upper arm and pulled her toward him to stare directly into her face. He held her eyes until she dropped hers.

Still unsure of what Eric was trying to get at, Sookie went on. "I was with Quinn then, Eric. You knew that. You didn't explain the blood bond to me. You didn't tell me that you wanted anything from me!" She looked up to meet his eyes again, finding the same cold steel that had been there throughout the entire conversation. He had growled when she'd mentioned Quinn, and his fangs had run out.

"I came to you, Sookie. You remember. I came to you and you rejected me!" His grip tightened on her arm. Clearly he was still angry about that.

"You're hurting me, Eric!" she cried when it became painful. He loosened his grip and rubbed the spot, already regretting what he had done. It would bruise and he would be reminded of his rough treatment of her.

Sookie pulled away from his grasp and he allowed it. She stood up, wanting to put some distance between them. Eric stood as well, moving into the doorway to block it. He had no intention of letting her walk away in the middle of this conversation. Sookie had her back to him and stood there for several moments, then she turned around.

"I still don't understand what I'm doing here!" She had tried to make some sense of this conversation while she'd stood with her back to him. The answers had eluded her. "Why, all of a sudden, are you trying to take me away from my life?"

"_Trying, hell!"_ he thought. "It is done, Sookie." He tried to make his voice gentle despite the fact that this whole subject was very upsetting to him. "You are mine, and your place is here with me." He stepped forward with the intention of taking her in his arms.

She threw up a hand, palm outward, to stop him. "You keep saying that, Eric, but you _can't do that_! I won't let you!" She put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

He shook his head, amazed that she was still fighting him on this. His patience was at an end and he was done arguing. "The discussion is over, Sookie. It will do you no good to keep fighting with me. Accept it. I will be good to you. I…"

"No!" she shrieked, flying at him. He caught her before she could pound him with her fists, but she continued to struggle. He turned her around and pulled her into his chest, her back to him. She continued to scream. "I am a human being, you son of a bitch! I have a life, and I have rights! You can't do this! You can't make me your slave! You…"

"Slave?" Eric hissed at her, holding her easily despite her desperate attempt to get free of him. He caught her wrists again and held them in one hand to keep her from hitting him. "Do you think that is what you are to me? I have never treated you like a slave, Sookie! Maybe you need to see how slaves are treated, if you think that is what you are!" He dragged her toward the armoire opposite the bed. Keeping an arm about her waist and not releasing her wrists, he bent and took several items out of a lower drawer. Sookie's struggles increased tenfold when she saw what he was doing.

Eric didn't like what he was about to do, but she'd pushed him beyond his limits. She needed to learn to listen to him and had to somehow accept her new life with him. He would show her just how cruel he could be if he wanted to. He forced her to lie face down on the bed, one hand on the back of her neck and his knee in her back. He pulled both arms behind her and folded them, her elbows bent so that her wrists and elbows were together. He wrapped her arms together with soft rope and tied it tightly, then he checked to make sure he hadn't cut off her circulation. Happy with his work, he turned her over.

If looks could kill, Eric would have been sent to final death at that moment. Her eyes were shooting daggers at him. "I will never, ever forgive you for this, Eric Northman!" she screamed at him. He pinned her legs to the mattress with his when she tried to kick him and cupped his hand behind her neck. Lifting her up, he kissed her hard, forcing his tongue inside her mouth. He laughed and pulled away when she tried to bite him, replacing his tongue with a ball gag that he quickly fastened behind her head. She screamed from behind it and he could only imagine the names she was calling him.

He flashed his fangs and smiled evilly, pushing her back down onto the mattress and holding himself above her. He used both hands to roughly fondle her body, thrusting two fingers deep inside of her when he remembered that he'd removed her panties before. This was no gentle touch, though. He did it in such a way that he knew it would hurt and degrade her. He abused her breasts with his other hand while she struggled and screamed at him, and then he'd had enough. He brought both hands up to her throat, wiping his fingers clean on her nightgown. He applied slight pressure and ordered, "Silence!"

The sight of Eric glaring at her, his fangs fully extended, and not the slightest bit of compassion or affection for her in his eyes silenced her quickly. She lay there and panted, terrified for the first time that night. Had she pushed him far enough that he would hurt her, or even kill her? She closed her eyes against the horror that was rushing over her.

"Look at me!" he thundered at her. She opened her eyes immediately and shrunk back from him as much as she could. He continued in a soft, deadly tone. "This, Sookie, is how it feels to be a slave." He caressed her face, then her lips which were stretched wide by the ball gag. "Slaves are silent, and do not speak unless spoken to." He fondled her breasts and manhandled her sex before continuing. "Slaves' bodies belong to their masters, who can hurt or kill them on a whim." He moved both hands to the neck of her nightgown, where he grabbed it and ripped it in two. She shuddered. "Slaves are not allowed clothing unless their master wills it." Then he turned her over, ripped the back of the nightgown, and removed it completely from her body. Next she felt something slide around her neck, and realized that he had put some kind of a collar on her. He turned her over onto her back and clipped a chain to the front of the collar. Then he stood up and tugged. "On your knees," he ordered.

When she had struggled to her knees on the carpet, he sat on the bed and turned her to face him. Then he unzipped his fly and pulled himself from his jeans. With a hand on the back of her head he pulled her forward. "The only use for a slave's mouth is to suck her master's cock. Would you like to suck my cock, little slave?" When she remained silent and unmoving, he ordered "Answer me!" She looked fearfully into his eyes and shook her head, no.

"Wrong answer, slave!" he lifted her up from the floor and laid her across his lap. "A slave's greatest pleasure is to serve her master. It is her honor to suck her master's cock. For that mistake, you will receive ten smacks with my open hand. Now, relax and spread your legs." Of course Sookie was unable to relax or do as he ordered, so he pulled her roughly into the position he wanted her. "That adds five more to your punishment, slave." He put his hand on her ass and caressed it before lifting it to deliver the first stroke.

SMACK!

Sookie screamed in surprise and outrage, and tried to move away from him. "I would not do that if I were you, little slave," he admonished. "You do not want to provoke me further, do you, and add to your punishment?" After a few seconds, she shook her head. He moved her back to where he wanted her. "Be still, dear one. It will be over very soon." He felt her stiffen on his lap, no doubt preparing for what she knew was coming. He smiled at her courage, then caressed both cheeks with his hand before quickly delivering the rest of her punishment. Then he gathered her into his arms and held her.

Sookie was unable to believe what had just happened to her. As she shook and sobbed, she wondered how she could now take comfort in his embrace when he was the one who had caused her pain. In spite of herself, she buried her face in his chest and didn't pull away. Something else strange was happening. Eric had demeaned her, degraded her, made her feel like less than dirt, so how was it that she felt the telltale throb of lust in her lady parts? There was no way that she could have _enjoyed_ that, was there?

Eric rocked her and gently stroked her back, planting little kisses on top of her head and murmuring small endearments. He knew he had pushed her farther than he'd ever intended to. He was proud of her for enduring it the way she had. And something else had happened, something totally unexpected. He smelled the distinct scent of her arousal, and it had gotten stronger as he'd continued to spank her. He wanted to touch her to find out if she was as wet as she smelled, but he didn't. His lover was a closet submissive! He filed that away for future reference so that they could get on with the rest of her punishment. He wasn't quite finished with her yet.

Sookie was shocked when Eric set her on her feet and said "come, slave, let us watch a movie." He stood up and started walking, pulling on the chain that was attached to her collar. When she hesitated he turned around, knowing that she did not understand that their little game wasn't over. "A slave is not released after her punishment, Sookie," he told her. "She just moves on to the rest of her day, however her master directs her."

Face reddening in mortification, Sookie had no choice but to pad along after Eric like an obedient little dog. He moved into the media room and sat in one of the chairs. There was no room for her to sit next to him so she stood there, unsure of what he expected her to do. Eric sat there for a moment admiring the way her breasts were thrust forward because of the way he'd tied her arms. He couldn't leave her bound like that for much longer without doing damage to her nerves but he wanted to play with her a while longer to make sure that she understood that he had NOT treated her like a slave before tonight. Time for the next lesson.

"A slave's place is at her master's feet, Sookie," he explained. When her master sits down, the slave is to immediately sit at his feet, press up against his legs, and lay her head on his knee." He tugged the leash and helped her get down on the floor without falling. Instead of moving to lean against his legs, she glared up at him. Fighting the urge to smile at her tenacity, he fixed her with a stern glare. "Are you asking for more punishment, little one?" He cocked his head to the side and waited. After a few seconds, she cast her eyes down and shook her head. "Good girl," he said. He knew those words would humiliate her; that was why he had chosen them. He pulled her close so that she could lay her head on his knee, and he stroked her hair while he started the DVR. He'd decided they would watch the most recent episode of "Criminal Minds," which he recorded every week. She had flinched when he'd first put his hand on her, but had wisely laid her head down and accepted his touch.

Sookie's mind was in turmoil. She was beyond angry at the treatment Eric had forced her to submit to this night. How had they gotten to this point? She vowed to find a way to pay him back for this master-slave bullshit, even though in the back of her mind she understood why he had done it. She had thrown the word "slave" in his face one too many times. She knew that most vampires who took up with humans treated them like pets or slaves. Until tonight she had never known the specifics of that, but Eric was right that he had never treated her like this before. She hated it. Then a thought occurred to her and she stiffened. What if he never untied her? What if he was now so angry with her that he decided to keep her in this position? She prayed that he would not do that. Whether she liked or accepted it, or not, he held all the cards here.

Eric felt Sookie stiffen against him and wondered what she was thinking. He sensed fear, sadness, turmoil, and anger inside of her through the bond. How he wished he could read her mind in this moment! He was actually enjoying this quiet moment with her, stroking her hair with her naked body pressed up against him. But he knew it was wrong. He had kept human pets and slaves before and he had kept them in their place. Sookie meant more to him than that. He wanted her companionship and her love. He would do everything in his power to keep her with him. He did not want her to be a pet or a slave, but that would be up to her. If she continued to taunt him, if she tried repeatedly to get away from him, he would have no choice but to keep her literally bound to him. The thought of Sookie in permanent chains saddened him and he pushed the thought out of his mind, replacing it with the thought of her wearing ropes and chains for pleasure. His cock stiffened and he rubbed it through his jeans. Knowing of her arousal when he bound and spanked her tonight, he had every intention of teaching her the fine art of dominance and submission, with him being the dom, of course.

Neither Eric nor Sookie had paid much attention to the show, so he just switched everything off when it was over. He leaned over and placed his hand gently on Sookie's shoulder to get her attention, and found that she'd gone to sleep. He immediately felt a wave of guilt wrenching his heart. She must be exhausted if she could fall asleep in the position he'd forced her into. He picked her up gently and headed for the bedroom.

Laying Sookie gently on her stomach, he removed the ropes he'd tied around her arms. She didn't wake. He took each arm in his hands and massaged it until the marks from the bindings had gone away, then he gently removed the gag from her mouth. He didn't like seeing the lines it made in her skin. He would give her more blood so that this experience wouldn't leave any lasting effects. He removed the collar as well and put everything back into the armoire where he'd gotten it. The sun would be rising within the next 30 minutes and he was beginning to feel the pull of sleep.

As much as Eric preferred her naked, he knew that Sookie felt more comfortable sleeping in night clothes. He moved to the chest of drawers to the left of the armoire and retrieved a pair of pink silk panties with a matching silk tank. Pulling Sookie up to lean against his chest, he put the shirt over her head and her arms through the sleeves. Then he lay her back down and pulled the panties up to cover her. It was at that moment she woke, and he braced himself for a battle.

Surprising him, Sookie smiled as she opened her eyes and fluttered her lashes at him. His heart melted in that moment and he reached out to caress her cheek. She covered his hand with her own and said "Who are you and what have you done with Eric Northman?" She was going to let him have it later. Right now she wanted to go to sleep. She really was glad to have him back in her life even under the present circumstances. She was sure that she could make him see reason if they could talk later without it turning into a screaming match.

Not understanding, Eric frowned and said, "Explain."

"You can't be Eric," she laughed. "Eric is always taking my clothes _off_, not the other way around."

He chuckled darkly and leaned down to whisper "I will do that later, lover!" he put his hand on her knee and started moving it up the inside of her thigh, wagging his eyebrows up and down at her with a grin.

Sookie pushed his hand away. "Eric, I am really really angry at you! I just want to sleep now but we _have_ to talk later, OK?" He replied with a nod. "Can I sleep next to you or do you have to go and get in a box somewhere?" she asked.

His eyes widened as he realized that she _wanted_ to sleep next to him. "Sookie, this is my bed, where I sleep every day. I want you to sleep next to me. In fact, I insist!" He had been prepared for her to fight him over sleeping in his bed, and in fact had intended to tie her down if she'd refused. After the past few hours, he was glad he didn't have to do that.

She rolled her eyes at him and nodded. "You can't resist bossing me around, can you?"

He smiled at that and cocked an eyebrow. "Would you want me to be different?"

Her eyebrows came down over her eyes and she frowned at him. "No comment. Now come to bed."

Eric had his pants off and was sliding under the covers before Sookie could crawl to her own side of the bed. He'd pulled the sheets back and gathered her in his arms, spooning her back. Then he remembered something. "Sookie, I want to give you my blood again."

She froze for several seconds and then asked "Why?"

"I am afraid that I may have hurt you," he explained.

Sookie didn't want to make Eric angry again but she spoke her mind. "No, Eric, I don't think that would be a good idea."

He really did not like being told 'no,' and her refusal irritated him. "Why not?" he growled.

She tried to word it gently. "When we exchanged blood earlier, we had sex. We always have sex. I don't want to have sex with you right now. I'm tired and I want to go to sleep. All right?"

"No," he insisted.

"Eric, come on…" she really didn't want to argue.

"Sookie, let me finish," he cut her off. "We have sex when we share blood. I will not drink from you. Will you agree to that?" He was new to the art of compromise and wasn't sure if he liked the way it felt.

She rolled over to face him and tilted her head back so that she could see his eyes. "Promise?"

"I promise."

"OK then. Let's do it quick." He nodded, gratified that she had seen things his way. Instead of biting his wrist, he punctured his finger and offered it to her. She smiled and took it into her mouth without hesitation, first running her tongue around the tip.

Eric groaned as his cock jumped. Sookie felt it, and laughed, his finger still in her mouth.

"No funny business, Northman!" she ordered.

He put his arm around her waist and pulled her roughly against him. "Sookie, you will be the death of me!" he growled through clenched teeth.

She pulled his finger out of her mouth and licked the little wound as it closed. Then she looked up into his eyes. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful and wanted to drown in those pools of blue. "And, Eric?" he squeezed her in answer. She tilted her head up and kissed him sweetly, swirling her tongue around each of his fangs before pulling back. He growled again, unsure of how much longer he could keep himself under control. "Thank you," she whispered. They both closed their eyes and drifted off.

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This link will show you the bed I would imagine Eric carving.

http (colon slash slash) shattuckwoodcarving (dot) com (slash) Furniture (underscore) and (underscore) Thrones (dot) html

Sorry about the URL. This site really doesn't want me to put a URL in here so I've had to play with it. Remove the spaces and put in the punctuation where indicated so you can see what Eric's bed looks like. The real bed is actually a dog bed, but imagine it King-sized for a man as large as Eric. In the blank shield-shaped spot in the top center, Eric would carve his family crest.

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**Here is the Q and A I mentioned at the beginning of the chapter.**

Q: Where does this story fit in with the timeline in the books?

**A: I've only read through the books once and now my copies are in storage (temporarily), so I can't go back to verify how long some things took or in what order. I have made a glaring error with regard to the time when Sookie and Quinn were dating vs. the blood bond and pledging in Rhodes and there's a major plot point that involves my error. So, for the sake of argument, let's pretend that the things in the story happened in the order below. This will not be the same as the books but it's the way my story is written. This is my fault for having a lousy memory. I hope you don't mind too much.**

…**1. Eric and Sookie were bonded/pledged in Rhodes.**

…**2. Before the bombing, Sookie and Quinn shared a bed but did not have sex. Eric knows about this and assumes, as any man would, that they did have sex. (I know they slept together before the bonding but once again I goofed.)**

…**3. Eric confronted Sookie and Quinn who were leaving on a date from Sookie's home; Sookie denied being Eric's. (I now know that this happened before Rhodes but in this story it happened after)**

…**4. Sookie broke up with Quinn. Eric stayed away from Sookie for a few months. (I also now know this is an error but it's here for the sake of my story)**

…**5. The Nevada vamps killed Sophie-Anne and took over Louisiana – Quinn led them to Sookie's home. Eric denied that he would sacrifice his life for Sookie and swore fealty to Felipe.**

…**6. A. Eric called Sookie to present the ceremonial knife to him in front of Victor Madden at Fangtasia, making the pledging public knowledge. B. Sookie saved Eric and Felipe from Siegebert and Felipe promised her his protection (not sure which of these happened first but they were around the same time).**

…**7. Eric stayed away from Sookie for a little over a month afterward while cementing his place in the new hierarchy and trying to keep her off Madden and DeCastro's radar.**

…**8. Eric regained his memory (how and why to be revealed later) and removed Sookie from her home (yes I know this never happened in the books) – this is where this story begins.**

**Q: If the Fae war hasn't happened, where are Claudine and Niall, and why aren't they helping Sookie?**

**A: The Fae war probably isn't going to happen in this story. There is a bigger danger to Sookie that I haven't revealed yet and Eric did what he did partially to protect her from that. Eric has acted rashly but his intentions are good. Because of their bonding and pledging, Eric's rights to Sookie are absolute to other supes, including the Fae. Niall and Claudine can't do anything to take Sookie from him.**

**Q: Why is Eric talking about Sookie being with other MEN when the only man she dated after their bonding was Quinn? She only slept with him once and they broke up shortly after.**

**A: Once again, I'm taking a few liberties with the characters. Eric wrongfully believes that Sookie became his the first night he met her at Fangtasia. He has known four men to be interested in her, even though she only actually dated two of them: Bill, Alcide, Sam, and Quinn. He hasn't spent a lot of time around Sookie and doesn't really know who she has or hasn't been with. He's jealous of these four because he sees them as a threat to his claim on her. If he wants to punish Sookie for dating others after they bonded, the only man he can rightfully do that for is Quinn.**

**Q: When did Eric's memory of the time he spent at Sookie's house before/during the witch war come back?**

**A: In this story it happened immediately before Eric took Sookie to his home in chapter 1, a few weeks after the Nevada takeover. I know in the books it happened the night of the takeover, but that isn't the case in this story.**

**Q: Why is Sookie letting Eric treat her this way?**

**A: Sookie isn't letting Eric do anything. He's just doing it. He's taken control of her life for the time being and she's powerless to stop him.**

**Q: Why is Eric being so mean to Sookie?**

**A: Eric is in love with Sookie and love is foreign to him. He doesn't know how to handle it. She makes him crazy, especially when she denies him something he wants or threatens to leave him. Eric is a 1000+ year old vampire with a cruel and ruthless reputation. We can't expect him to make puppy-dog eyes at her as he plies her with flowers and chocolates. That isn't Eric. He's used to controlling everything around him. If she seems to threaten his ability to control things he lashes out. He's also very afraid for her safety and feels that he needs her absolute obedience to protect her. He'll eventually realize what a d*ck he's being but in the meantime there will be fireworks. Remember, in the first chapter I said that Eric will be kind of dark in this story.**

**Q: What about the night when Eric returned to Sookie after she'd killed Murry with the trowel in her front yard. That's when they resumed their sexual relationship in the books.**

**A: Not in this story. That night never happened and isn't going to happen.**

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**I****f you have any more questions for me, please feel free to ask! I know I'm changing a lot of things and some of the characters are acting different. I hope you'll bear with me!**

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**Thank you in advance for any reviews you may give me. I want to know what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong!**

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**And remember, I'd like to beta for you if you need some help.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you all again for your reviews, comments, and alerts. I've gotten a lot of questions from readers about my story vs. the books. There is Q and A at the end of the chapter and I hope it answers your questions. If you read the Q and A at the end of Chapter 2, you don't need to read the one at the end of this chapter. They are the same.**

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**!WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned!**

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**Charlaine Harris owns these characters. I'm only borrowing them for a little while.**

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**Previous:**

She pulled his finger out of her mouth and licked the little wound as it closed. Then she looked up into his eyes. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful and wanted to drown in those pools of blue. "And, Eric?" he squeezed her in answer. She tilted her head up and kissed him sweetly, swirling her tongue around each of his fangs before pulling back. He growled again, unsure of how much longer he could keep himself under control. "Thank you," she whispered. They both closed their eyes and drifted off.

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**Chapter 3: A Long Conversation**

Sookie woke up literally surrounded by Eric's body. She lay on her side, her back to him and her head on his bicep. His arm was curled possessively around her and rested on top of her breasts. He had shoved his thigh between hers sometime during the day and his other arm was draped over her waist and hip, his hand cupping her sex. She gave herself a moment to enjoy being held by him as she'd never woken up in bed next to him before. "_Why do things have to be so complicated and difficult?_" she thought to herself. "_It feels so good to be here with him but then he always does something that makes me want to scream at him!_" She chuckled to herself at that, then glanced at the clock: 5:47. She groaned. She had slept the entire day away! What time did the sun set this time of year? Would he wake up before that, or not until the sun had dipped completely below the horizon? She knew that some older vampires could wake early or stay awake later in the morning; Eric had told her that.

Suddenly feeling nature's call, she began the job of extricating herself from Eric's hold. It was no easy task! No sooner would she unwrap his arm from around her top half when his other arm would fall heavily back onto her waist. Then she'd push that arm away and his other arm would curl back up to pull her back against his chest. Finally she turned to look at him to see if he was awake and playing with her, and her heart stopped. His face was completely relaxed in sleep and the sheer beauty of it brought tears to her eyes. He looked so young and vulnerable with his hair falling softly around his closed eyes, his mouth slightly open with soft and full lips just begging to be kissed. She did just that after rolling herself completely over to face him. He didn't move. She kissed him again, nipping softly at his lower lip. No response. She tried poking at his shoulder, then his chest. Nothing. Satisfied that he was truly "dead," she finally managed to wriggle out of his grasp by scooting her body down toward the foot of the bed. That finally accomplished, she ran to take care of her very human needs.

In the bathroom, she turned the light on and studied herself in the mirror. There was a slight bruise around her upper right arm where he had gripped her so tightly last night, but otherwise she saw no marks on herself. She studied her forearms to see if the bindings he had forced on her had caused any injuries, but found nothing. Likewise, there was no bruising around her mouth or on her face from the gag. Standing there, regarding herself in the mirror, made her memories of the previous evening come flooding back. Her eyes welled up with tears and she couldn't stop them from flooding onto her cheeks. How could Eric have done something like that? He had humiliated her to her very core, brought her so low that she didn't know how to climb back up. How could she ever look him in the eyes again? The worst part about it was that she was locked in here with him with no way to get out. What if he did it again?

Sookie straightened her back at that thought, staring her own reflection squarely in the eye. She was a Stackhouse! Stackhouses stood up for themselves! Stackhouses did not hide from their problems or cower in fear. She didn't know what Eric's purpose was for what he had done, but she damn sure wouldn't let him beat her down. He might have the power to hurt her both physically and emotionally, but he did not have the power to break her. She would show him what she was made of! With that decided, she brushed her teeth and pulled her hair into a pony tail, choosing to ignore the fact that Eric once again had her usual toiletries here and must have been plotting this before he took action.

As Sookie washed her face and dried it with a soft white towel, Eric chose that moment to appear behind her in the mirror. "Good evening, lover," he greeted her. He kissed the top of her head and rested both hands on the countertop on either side of her, effectively trapping her there. He was still naked and he pressed himself into her back, letting her know that once again he was hard and ready. It was impossible not to be affected by his presence, but she was angry and had every intention of letting him know it.

She glared at him balefully in the mirror. "Don't you ever put that thing away?" she snapped. To her extreme annoyance, he threw his head back and laughed with delight. He put both hands gently on her upper arms and made to turn her to face him, but she resisted. Undaunted, he applied more pressure until he'd turned her around, but she looked off to the side and folded her arms.

Eric had awakened moments before and immediately felt what Sookie was feeling. He knew that she had cried and he knew that he was responsible. But then he'd felt courage and determination overtake her sorrow and fear. That had made him proud of his Sookie. She was a warrior and would do battle with him! He would not hide from her. He knew that he had some explaining to do, but he also needed to further define the dynamics of their relationship. He would demand complete obedience from her but it was not to further his ego. He still hadn't decided how much of the danger they were now facing to reveal to her. It was going to be a long night.

He tilted her chin up to make her look into his eyes. "I know that you are angry with me. We have many things to discuss. But first you need to eat, and so do I." He looked pointedly at her and caressed her throat with his fingers.

It only took a second for Sookie to catch on. "Whoa, you wait just one minute, buster!" She would have backed away from him but he didn't allow it.

"Buster?" he raised one eyebrow and stared at her.

Sookie rolled her eyes at him. "If you think I'm letting you drink from me after what you did last night, you must be feeling your age. I didn't think vampires got senile!"

Eric was amused by her clever words but didn't show it. He flashed his fangs at her and scooped her up to carry her to his office, depositing her on a bar stool and hovering over her with a frown. He had used his vampire speed so she'd had no time to struggle. "I thought I made it clear last night, Sookie," he said. "We must strengthen our bond and will do so by exchanging blood. We will do this whenever and as many times as I deem necessary."

She sensed an undercurrent in his voice and looked suspiciously into his eyes while she tried to probe their bond. He felt what she was doing and opened his side a bit more, hoping that she could sense his urgency. "Eric, what is it that you're not telling me?" When he clamped his mouth firmly shut she said, "Fine, whatever. If you won't talk to me I won't cooperate with you." She turned her back and opened the refrigerator to see what else he had in there for her.

He didn't like it when she turned away from him, and he _hated_ the word "whatever," so he planted his palm on the refrigerator door and slammed it shut. "Do not _whatever_ me, Sookie!" He grabbed her elbow and turned her to face him, but then he released her and turned away himself, raking his fingers roughly through his hair. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers and turned back around. When he spoke, his voice was harsh. "I am known as one of the most ruthless enforcers on this planet." He breathed deeply even though he didn't need to. "I pride myself on being logical, and tactical, and deadly. The most fearsome creatures known to existence fear my wrath." He took both of her hands and looked deeply into her eyes. She had enough sense to realize that he was trying to communicate with her, and she didn't pull away. "Yet you, Sookie, you have the power to enrage me beyond my comprehension. Where the bravest of soldiers bow down before me in terror, you stand up and give my shit right back to me. You roll your eyes at my arrogance and laugh at my impertinence. I would be so lost without you!"

Sookie was speechless, moved by his sudden declaration. He stood there staring into her eyes as if she held the very life line that he clung to. In that moment he wasn't a deadly 1000 year old vampire. He was simply a man who needed his woman to understand and accept him. She recognized the vulnerability in his eyes and she realized how much she loved him. She vowed then and there that she would walk through fire for him. Without speaking a word, she pulled him toward her and wrapped her arms around his waist. He held her tightly and they stood silently together for several minutes. Then she pulled back just far enough to look into his face, reaching up to cup his cheek with her palm, and he was looking right back at her.

"Eric?" she whispered. He kissed her palm, then her wrist, by way of answer. "I don't know what's going on here, what's got you this freaked out." He raised his eyebrows and she continued "Yes, I can tell. But whatever it is, we'll get through it together, OK? I promise you, I'm not going anywhere."

It was exactly what he needed to hear. He knew that he would never let her go, but it gratified him to hear that she wouldn't try to leave either. He kissed her, hard, forcing his tongue inside her mouth. She opened and accepted him, making little whimpering noises at the back of her throat. He growled as she swirled her tongue around each of his fangs. He reached back to his desk and found his letter opener, bringing it up to his throat. He pulled back and stared intensely into her eyes looking for confirmation. She gave a small nod and he cut deeply into his throat so that the wound wouldn't close up too quickly. She latched on and sucked at him. He growled again and sank his fangs savagely into her neck. He drew deeply, savoring the sweet taste that was his Sookie.

Suddenly there were too many clothes between them. While he was still naked, she wore the silk pajama set he'd dressed her in that morning. He reached for the tank top and ripped it from her, fondling her breasts roughly with his hands. She pulled the panties down herself but he ripped them anyway when they became too cumbersome for her to step out of. Her hands gripped his shaft and he growled again, grinding into her. He reached down and shoved three fingers inside of her, eliciting a startled gasp against his throat. A single drop of his blood escaped and ran down his chest. Eric continued to pump his fingers in and out of her while his palm massaged her clit on the outside. "Eric!" she gasped as he brought her closer to her release. Suddenly her whole body stiffened as her climax overtook her, overwhelming her senses so that she lost consciousness for a few seconds.

Eric pulled his fangs from her neck, concerned as she fell away from him. Her wound continued to bleed while his closed up and healed. Then she regained her senses and they gazed at each other with eyes full of passion and bloodlust. They kissed roughly, nipping and biting at each other as they tasted each other's blood. Eric picked Sookie up from the bar stool and sank to his knees on the carpet, pulling her down with him. He wanted more of her blood so he gripped her ponytail and forced her head to the side. Her neck bared to him, he sank his fangs into her again as he pushed her down onto her back on the carpet. There was no tenderness in this mating. It was wild and primal and animalistic.

He pulled his fingers out of her sheath and she whimpered at the loss of contact. Then he lined his cock up with her entrance and thrust inside in one long stroke. Fearful that he would take too much of her blood, he pulled his fangs out and licked the wound to stop her bleeding. They were both covered in blood from his earlier careless treatment of the wound in her neck, but they were too far gone to care. Eric pulled her hands above her head and held them there, pinning her down and dominating her with his body while he thrust forcefully into her over and over and over. Sookie met each thrust with one of her own, arching her back to him. He pulled both of her wrists into one hand and continued to hold them while he reached around behind her shoulders with his other arm, holding her close against him. He kicked it into high gear then, and used his vampire speed to push them both over the edge. As Sookie screamed his name he roared with his release, shooting jet after jet of his seed deep into her body. _"Mine! Mine! Mine!"_ he thought over and over, vowing once again that he would never let her go.

Eric rolled onto his back, pulling Sookie with him and never pulling out of her. He loved the intimate contact of his cock inside of her, sated and resting in her warmth. Sookie wished he could push into her and stay there all day, every day. He lazily brushed his fingers up and down her spine while she flattened her palms against his chest. She turned her head and kissed and licked his flat nipples, telling him how good he tasted. She raked her nails gently down his shoulders and arms, causing his manhood to grow and fill her again. Neither of them was ready to move just yet, so they calmed their petting and closed their eyes for a little while.

All too soon their bliss was shattered when Sookie's stomach growled. She would have ignored it, but Eric jumped up immediately. "I will not have you sacrificing your health for any reason," he announced. Reluctantly, she got up and went to the refrigerator. Inside she found a premade chicken Caesar salad, another of her favorites. They went into the media room together, each sitting down in one of the plush seats while she devoured her salad.

Deciding that Eric needed to start giving her some answers, Sookie asked again, "Eric, why do you have all of this food here for me?" He had obviously planned on bringing her here but she wanted to know what his motives were.

Eric decided to come clean, at least partially. "You know that I have wanted you to live with me for some time, Sookie. I decided that I would no longer wait for you to make up your mind."

Brutal honesty; she had to give him that. "Eric, has it ever occurred to you that people can't be moved around like pieces on a chess board? Sometimes things happen, or don't happen, for a reason. I have a house. I have family, and friends, and a job."

"This may not be what you want to hear, Sookie, but I will tell you the truth" Eric continued. "You and I are bonded. We are pledged. In Vampire terms, it means we are married. Because you are a human, I also have ownership of you." He held up his hand when she would have interrupted him. "Let me finish! I have allowed you to live apart from me, and I have allowed you to work for the shifter. This makes me appear weak to other Vampires. It looks, to them, as though I either cannot provide for you, or cannot control you. Either way, my reputation suffers."

He was right. It wasn't what she wanted to hear. But, given what they had shared this evening, she was willing to hear him out. "OK, I think. Go on." She would try to remain neutral and open while he explained everything, and then she would do her best to talk him out of it.

"As I said, my reputation has suffered because of the things I have allowed you to do. But your own integrity has also been called into question." She looked outraged at this statement but remained silent, waiting for him to go on. "There have been other men in your life since we were pledged to each other. Most offensively, John Quinn." He glared at her before going on. "That day when I went to your home and you left with Quinn, he committed an offense against me that I could have challenged before the council and asked for him to be put to death."

"Wait a minute, Eric! That's harsh! I was involved with Quinn before we bonded. You only did that because of Andre, and you…"

"Nevertheless," he cut her words off, leveling her with a sober look to make sure that she understood what he was about to say, "that is supernatural law. Once you and I shared a blood bond and a pledge to each other, no other supe had the right to touch you, let alone sleep with you." He openly glared at her, his fangs clicking down to their full length. This was a very upsetting subject for him but he needed to keep a cool head while explaining it to Sookie.

She looked dumbfounded, and a little fearful, but nodded.

"It was my right to punish you for your indiscretion with Quinn," Eric explained. "I did that last night." His eyes narrowed as he regarded her, waiting for her to fully comprehend what he had just said. He could tell the instant it did.

Sookie's eyes got as round as saucers and she jumped up, the now empty salad container tumbling to the floor. "You… I… That was… You did that because of Quinn and me?"

"Do not raise your voice to me, Sookie, and sit down!" His tone told her that he wouldn't tolerate an argument over this. She continued to glare at him but complied, so he continued. "I do not have to explain myself, but I will. Punishment was warranted for your actions. When you said the word 'slave' to me one too many times, I decided to make you feel like a slave would feel. I have taken slaves in my lifetime and have treated them as such. Now you know that I never before treated _you_ like a slave, and do not consider you to be one. You will not associate yourself with that word again. It is offensive to me. You are not my slave, or my pet. You are my lover, my bonded, my wife, and my companion. Is that clear?"

It took her a few seconds for his statement to sink in, during which time she stared at him with her mouth open. He had treated her in a degrading manner to show her that she was not someone he wished to demean. Clear as mud. Unable to think of anything to say, she simply nodded.

Eric could feel her confusion through the bond but decided not to pursue the matter further. They had many years ahead of them during which he could demonstrate the depth of his feelings. Before he could say anything else, Sookie spoke.

"Eric, there's something that I'm having trouble wrapping my head around."

"Go on." He nodded to encourage her.

"Well, you say that last night was a punishment for something that I did and…" she had to pause to consider how to word her question. "I… I've never heard of something like that, in relationships where…" she couldn't think of what she wanted to say and looked to him for help.

"You are confused as to why I would have the right to punish you for your actions?"

"Yes, I think that's it." She looked down at her hands folded in her lap. It was really difficult for her to sit here with him, both of them naked, discussing relationship dynamics involving punishments.

"You are not my slave, or my pet. We have established that, yes?" She nodded. "I am Vampire, and you are human. As such, I expect to be the dominant partner in our relationship. You belong to me. That does not give me the right to abuse you, and there is a fine line between punishment and abuse. I can only tell you that I will never lash out at you in anger. I will not force you to be subservient to me. You need never be afraid to speak your mind to me unless I tell you beforehand that it would be dangerous. I will not use our bond to influence your thoughts or emotions unless your life or sanity is in danger. When you deserve to be punished for something, I will tell you, and you will know when you are being punished. Punishments will not be pleasant but I will never seek to break, maim or permanently mark you. Can you live with that?" She couldn't know how much was hanging upon her answer to this question. Eric wasn't sure what he would do if she said no.

"It scares me, Eric," she told him softly. She had to be honest. He would know through the bond if she lied.

Eric got up from his chair and moved to kneel in front of hers. He took her hands, then put his finger under her chin to tilt her face up so that he could kiss her softly. He looked directly into her eyes and asked "Do you trust me?"

Sookie took a good long look at Eric. She thought about all of the times they had been together, inside and outside of their intimate relationship. He had offended her, embarrassed her, and angered her more than any person she had ever known. She had only ever known him to lie to her once, in Dallas, but they had made peace over that. He had saved her life countless times. He'd anticipated her needs and helped her when she needed things, like a new driveway, a front door, or a simple cell phone. He took responsibility for his actions. The time they had spent together while he had amnesia had been the best time of her life. Without that, she would have never allowed herself to get to know the man behind the vampire. He had often made her laugh and was one of the few people who really _got_ her. She couldn't say that about Bill, and especially not Quinn. He had asked her before if she trusted him, and she knew she had. When she thought about all of these things, she could think of only one answer. "Yes."

Her answer pleased him. "So I ask again, can you live with that?"

She knew what he was really asking her. There would be no going back from this moment forward. As her Gran had always said, 'In for a penny, in for a pound.' This time she did not hesitate. "Yes Eric." He smiled joyfully, picked her up by the waist, and swung her around before setting her back down in her chair and announcing that they still needed to talk. He walked back to his chair and turned it to face her.

"You know," he said playfully, "there are many pleasurable and fun ways for you to play the submissive to my Dominant." He waggled his eyebrows at her, making her laugh and blush a deep red. "I will take great pleasure in your education!"

"I'll take your word for it!" she shyly cast her eyes down and grinned, feeling a distinct throb in her lady parts.

Eric felt it too, through the bond, and decided to act on that later. For now, he moved on. "We must clarify some boundaries for our relationship to move forward. What I am about to say is very important while we walk in the supernatural world." He gave her a questioning look to make sure that she was listening and had her mind back out of the gutter. She nodded again. "I will always be more experienced than you; you know that. For that reason, I need and expect you to obey me in all things, without question or hesitation."

Sookie balked at that. "Come on, Eric. That's ridiculous! You can't expect me to turn in to a doormat, just because I want to be with you!" She looked at him and shook her head.

He didn't fail to notice that she'd said she wanted to be with him. Her statement made him happy, but he didn't smile. "I am not talking about mundane things like what you want to have for dinner, Sookie." He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "I realize that you pride yourself on your independence and your ability to take care of yourself. That is not what I am talking about."

"Then I don't understand," she admitted.

"I am not a hard or unreasonable…. partner," he began. He had been about to say "master," but he didn't want to bring back her resentment of the previous night. "There will be very few times when I will actually give an order. But when I do, I expect to be obeyed. This is nonnegotiable." His jaw was set and his eyes were hard.

Sookie thought about it for a few seconds, then had a thought. "Then you're not trying to control every aspect of my life? Because that's what it feels like, Eric."

"I won't lie because our bond prevents me from lying to you," he said. Sookie tucked that bit of knowledge into the back of her mind for future study. "There will be some control, yes, because it is necessary. But as long as you do not act to jeopardize our relationship or our safety, I will largely leave you to do as you wish."

"That doesn't sound so bad," she told him.

"I need your word, Sookie. Just as I told you that you would know when I am punishing you for something, you will know when my orders are to be obeyed." He looked at her expectantly.

"You'll always tell me?" She asked. He nodded. "All right then. I agree to that. You have my word."

Eric was relieved to have gotten over this hurdle. He had expected outright defiance from her. "And in return, you have my word that I will not make unreasonable demands, unless it is absolutely necessary."

"That sounds fair, I guess." She smiled slightly and got up to get a bottle of tea out of the refrigerator. "Do you want me to get you a blood?"

Eric actually looked a bit bashful as he smiled at her and shook his head. "I keep no TrueBlood in this house, Sookie."

She turned around and opened the refrigerator door wider, confirming that there were no synthetic blood products in there. "Then how do you…?" she looked at him wide-eyed.

"I take what I need from humans." There it was, out on the table.

Sookie pondered that for a minute, and then a huge wave of jealously took her off-guard. She narrowed her eyes. "Then who have you been drinking from?" she snapped.

"Once again I cannot lie to you." He said simply, shrugging. He felt her jealousy but thought it wise not to mention it.

She didn't like what she was hearing. He had been with fang bangers, the humans who hung around his bar trying to get attention from vampires. She had never considered what Eric was doing when he wasn't with her. The rational part of her mind knew that they hadn't actually been together and she had no right to question him about who he'd been with. That was the rational part. "Did you have sex with them?" her voice was trembling and it was becoming very hard to keep tears from falling. For a vampire, feeding and sex were closely tied.

"Come here, lover." He reached out and pulled her, protesting, into his lap. "I find that I have had no desire for anything but blood from them, for a very long time." He held her and looked straight into her eyes. "As a matter of fact," he joked, "I think it has negatively affected business at Fangtasia!" he smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

She cocked her head to the side and gazed back at him. Using her newfound knowledge, she felt the bond between them and discovered that she could detect no dishonesty from him. Then it dawned on her, what he had done, and her eyes grew big. She hadn't actually seen him in several weeks, not since the takeover and the incident with Seigebert at Merlotte's! Not to mention how long it had been since they had actually been _together_. He couldn't be telling the truth, could he?

This was _Eric_, after all. He said, and did, whatever he wanted. His sexual exploits were famous! Could he really have gone without sex for… she didn't even know how long? "Eric," she had to ask. "When was the last time you…?" She couldn't get her mouth to say the words.

"Do you remember when you finally admitted to me that we had been intimate while you cared for me during my amnesia?"

"You mean, when you blackmailed me into telling you?" She hadn't forgotten that, and her face reddened.

"Be that as it may," he waved a hand to dismiss the thought. "After we talked, I tried to force myself to stop thinking about you. I used more women that I would have normally. Sometimes several in one night."

"OK, OK, get on with it!" Sookie didn't want to hear how many.

Eric smiled with satisfaction. "Finally I realized that the only one I was _hungry_ for was you." He held her gaze.

Sookie couldn't stop the smile from appearing on her face as she pondered his statement. She looked down to try to hide it, but it didn't work. He tilted her chin up and kissed her gently. The kiss turned hard and hungry as he swept his tongue into her mouth and brought his hand up to cup the back of her head. She scraped her nails down his chest before taking his gracious plenty firmly into her hands. He hissed, then he grasped her hips and pulled her up so that she was straddling his lap. He pulled her down firmly onto his hardness, and she broke the kiss to lean her head back and cry "Oh, God!"

He leaned forward and took one of her nipples into his mouth, scraping his fang across it and earning a gasp from Sookie. Then he moved to give his attention to the other breast, all the while holding her hips firmly so that he could trust powerfully into her warmth and softness. "Eric!" she moaned, the friction building a delicious tension deep inside of her. He lifted his head from her breasts and pulled an arm tightly around her to hold her close. They put their foreheads together and gazed into each other's eyes, smiling, as they moved together, faster and faster until she couldn't keep up with his supernatural speed. His thumb moved sensually from her hip across her stomach to press against her nub, and that was her undoing. She screamed her release and then gasped, "Oh my God, Eric!" His hands moved and tightened his grip on her hips to hold her firmly as he thrust once, twice, three times into her, forcefully expelling his seed into her.

Sookie collapsed against his chest and Eric held her there against him, marveling at the force of his desire for this small woman. _"She is mine!"_ he thought. _"No other will touch her! No other will have her!"_

She gasped in surprise when his arms tightened so powerfully around her. She loved the feel of him surrounding her, making her feel safe and cherished. She laid her head on his shoulder and twirled a lock of his hair around her fingers, contemplating the future. She never wanted to be away from this man, not ever! Despite all of his demands, his controlling ways, his arrogance, she wanted this. She wanted to be his. And he was hers. Lifting her head, she looked deeply into his eyes, wanting him to see the depth of the emotions she carried for him. And it just slipped out. "I love you, Eric!"

**Dun Dun Dun….. insert "oh shit!" music here**

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**Q: Where does this story fit in with the timeline in the books?**

**A: I've only read through the books once and now my copies are in storage (temporarily), so I can't go back to verify how long some things took or in what order. I have made a glaring error with regard to the time when Sookie and Quinn were dating vs. the blood bond and pledging in Rhodes and there's a major plot point that involves my error. So, for the sake of argument, let's pretend that the things in the story happened in the order below. This will not be the same as the books but it's the way my story is written. This is my fault for having a lousy memory. I hope you don't mind too much.**

…**1. Eric and Sookie were bonded/pledged in Rhodes.**

…**2. Before the bombing, Sookie and Quinn shared a bed but did not have sex. Eric knows about this and assumes, as any man would, that they did have sex. (I know they slept together before the bonding but once again I goofed.)**

…**3. Eric confronted Sookie and Quinn who were leaving on a date from Sookie's home; Sookie denied being Eric's. (I now know that this happened before Rhodes but in this story it happened after)**

…**4. Sookie broke up with Quinn. Eric stayed away from Sookie for a few months. (I also now know this is an error but it's here for the sake of my story)**

…**5. The Nevada vamps killed Sophie-Anne and took over Louisiana – Quinn led them to Sookie's home. Eric denied that he would sacrifice his life for Sookie and swore fealty to Felipe.**

…**6. A. Eric called Sookie to present the ceremonial knife to him in front of Victor Madden at Fangtasia, making the pledging public knowledge. B. Sookie saved Eric and Felipe from Siegebert and Felipe promised her his protection (not sure which of these happened first but they were around the same time).**

…**7. Eric stayed away from Sookie for a little over a month afterward while cementing his place in the new hierarchy and trying to keep her off Madden and DeCastro's radar.**

…**8. Eric regained his memory (how and why to be revealed later) and removed Sookie from her home (yes I know this never happened in the books) – this is where this story begins.**

**Q: If the Fae war hasn't happened, where are Claudine and Niall, and why aren't they helping Sookie?**

**A: The Fae war probably isn't going to happen in this story. There is a bigger danger to Sookie that I haven't revealed yet and Eric did what he did partially to protect her from that. Eric has acted rashly but his intentions are good. Because of their bonding and pledging, Eric's rights to Sookie are absolute to other supes, including the Fae. Niall and Claudine can't do anything to take Sookie from him.**

**Q: Why is Eric talking about Sookie being with other MEN when the only man she dated after their bonding was Quinn? She only slept with him once and they broke up shortly after.**

**A: Once again, I'm taking a few liberties with the characters. Eric wrongfully believes that Sookie became his the first night he met her at Fangtasia. He has known four men to be interested in her, even though she only actually dated two of them: Bill, Alcide, Sam, and Quinn. He hasn't spent a lot of time around Sookie and doesn't really know who she has or hasn't been with. He's jealous of these four because he sees them as a threat to his claim on her. If he wants to punish Sookie for dating others after they bonded, the only man he can rightfully do that for is Quinn.**

**Q: When did Eric's memory of the time he spent at Sookie's house before/during the witch war come back?**

**A: In this story it happened immediately before Eric took Sookie to his home in chapter 1, a few weeks after the Nevada takeover. I know in the books it happened the night of the takeover, but that isn't the case in this story.**

**Q: Why is Sookie letting Eric treat her this way?**

**A: Sookie isn't letting Eric do anything. He's just doing it. He's taken control of her life for the time being and she's powerless to stop him.**

**Q: Why is Eric being so mean to Sookie?**

**A: Eric is in love with Sookie and love is foreign to him. He doesn't know how to handle it. She makes him crazy, especially when she denies him something he wants or threatens to leave him. Eric is a 1000+ year old vampire with a cruel and ruthless reputation. We can't expect him to make puppy-dog eyes at her as he plies her with flowers and chocolates. That isn't Eric. He's used to controlling everything around him. If she seems to threaten his ability to control things he lashes out. He's also very afraid for her safety and feels that he needs her absolute obedience to protect her. He'll eventually realize what a d*ck he's being but in the meantime there will be fireworks. Remember, in the first chapter I said that Eric will be kind of dark in this story.**

**Q: What about the night when Eric returned to Sookie after she'd killed Murry with the trowel in her front yard. That's when they resumed their sexual relationship in the books.**

**A: Not in this story. That night never happened and isn't going to happen.**

**I****f you have any more questions for me, please feel free to ask! I know I'm changing a lot of things and some of the characters are acting different. I hope you'll bear with me!**

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**Once again, I'll beta for you if you need me! Just send me a PM or email.**

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_**I am trying to answer your reviews but am very much behind. Please know that I love your reviews and am humbled by the number of people who seem to like this story. Thank you!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: Thank you all again for your reviews, comments, and alerts. I'm still blown away that so many of you like this story! I'm trying to answer all my reviews but I'm behind, so please know how humbled I am that you seem to like my story. You are the best!**_

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****Many many thanks to charhamblin for pointing out my mistakes and keeping me from making new ones!**

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********!WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned!**

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****There has been a lot of strong reaction to chapter 2, and I thank you all for your comments! I thought I should address where this story is going. Eric shouldn't have done what he did, but he did. In his mind, he was justified. There is a lot of background in what led to his reasoning. That will come out later. We may find that he didn't have all the facts and he will feel remorse, but he's not going to apologize. If he has to admit wrongdoing he will lose face with Sookie. This isn't a story about Eric the abuser and Sookie the victim. I DO NOT advocate domestic violence. Notice that he didn't have sex with her during that encounter; he's not a rapist. Eric is a vampire with a cruel and sadistic history but he has no intention of hurting and breaking Sookie. She is, quite literally, the light of his life. Part of that whole thing was to show her what he would treat her like if he really did have such a low opinion of her (as what she was assuming), so that she would know she was more than that to him. The guy's not perfect; not by a long shot! They will have D/s roles throughout the rest of the story and it will all be completely consensual. I don't plan on taking things to that extreme again but once again, this is a story for mature audiences who can handle this type of a relationship between the characters. If you are under 18, please click the little X in the upper right corner and close your browser. NOW. If you're old enough to be reading this, I hope you'll stay along for the ride! Thank you!**

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**Do you need a beta? If so, contact me and I'll help you out!**

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**Charlaine Harris owns these characters. I'm only borrowing them for a little while.**

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**Previous:**

She gasped in surprise when his arms tightened so powerfully around her. She loved the feel of him surrounding her, making her feel safe and cherished. She laid her head on his shoulder and twirled a lock of his hair around her fingers, contemplating the future. She never wanted to be away from this man, not ever! Despite all of his demands, his controlling ways, his arrogance, she wanted this. She wanted to be his. And he was hers. Lifting her head, she looked deeply into his eyes, wanting him to see the depth of the emotions she carried for him. And it just slipped out. "I love you, Eric!"

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**Chapter 4: Memories**

Before Eric could react, Sookie jumped up and backed away, her eyes wide and her hands covering her mouth. Eric had been so stunned by her words that he'd completely let go of her. "Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Sookie repeated. "Eric, oh my God, I'm so sorry! I didn't…"

He was completely confused. "Sorry?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. "Why would you say something like that to me?" He had a blank look on his face and he shook his head.

Sookie misunderstood his question, thinking that her declaration of love had upset him. "That's what I mean! I don't… I didn't… Oh, shit! Just, shit, shit, shit!" She'd covered her entire face with her small hands now and turned away from him. "_Why do I always have to ruin everything?_" she thought.

Eric stood up and put his hands on her shoulders, but she shrugged them off and took a step away. He couldn't stand for her to walk away from him and he reacted by gripping her upper arms tightly and pulling her roughly back toward him.

"Ow! Eric!" she cried when he gripped her bruised arm too tightly, trying unsuccessfully to shrug off his hands again. Unwanted tears sprang to her eyes and started rolling down her cheeks. She kept her head bowed and shook it miserably.

He was suddenly filled with remorse, remembering how she had gotten bruised in the first place. It was his fault, and now she was crying again, because of him. He didn't know what to do. "Sookie!" He begged. "You know I cannot stand it when you cry. Please stop!"

That made her laugh, a hysterical giggle cutting through her sniffles. He said it like she could just stop. She wished she could. Now she was laughing. He must think her insane!

Eric's brows drew down over his eyes and he frowned. What was going on? First she'd said the three words he'd most wanted to hear in the world, and the next minute she was cursing like a truck driver and apologizing! Thirty seconds later she was laughing. What the hell? "Sookie?" He tried cautiously.

She stood there, still covering her face with her hands and shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Eric," she repeated. "I'm embarrassed! That just slipped out! I didn't mean it. You don't have to, that is, well, I don't want you to think I…"

"What do you mean, you didn't mean it?" he interrupted with a growl. "I do not know what you are talking about! What do you think you have to be sorry for? Will you please explain to me what is going on here?" His voice had started to get loud. He didn't like feeling unsure about anything, yet here he stood, trying to figure out whether or not his Sookie had really said she loved him and meant it.

She finally turned around to face him, a sheepish look on her face. Her eyes and nose were red. Eric knew that this wasn't the first time today she'd cried. "I'm a mess, Eric. Look at me! Well, on second thought, don't look at me." She smiled shyly and chuckled. "I just really want to go take a shower, all right? Can we talk about this later?" She looked up at him hopefully.

Eric probed the bond, trying to get a handle on what she truly was feeling. He hated having to guess. It didn't help. All he felt was her mortification and need to get away from him. After considering for a moment, he decided to give her some space. "If that is what you wish, all right." He tilted her chin up to make her look into his eyes. "We WILL talk about this later." He would not let her hide for long.

Sookie nodded, relieved, and practically ran through the doorway. Then she poked her head back in. "Eric?"

"Yes?" He hoped that she'd changed her mind and wanted to talk to him now. No such luck.

"You kind of, uhm, destroyed all of my clothes. Can I borrow something to wear?"

He would have preferred her to stay the way she was but stopped himself from making his usual suggestive remark. He understood that she didn't need him hassling her at the moment. "Come, let me show you." He held out his hand and led her through the bedroom and into the walk-in closet, where he turned on the light. He wanted to make her comfortable and knew she would feel better if she had things of her own instead of borrowing one of his T-shirts. If it upset her, it upset her. He was resigned.

She gasped when she saw the clothes hanging there, obviously for a woman. She turned to look at him questioningly, her mouth hanging open. "Eric?" Who had been in here with him?

"They are yours. I will explain later." Then he led her to the chest of drawers where he'd gotten the pajamas the day before, and showed her that he had more clothes and under things for her. She continued to regard him with suspicion but didn't say anything.

Sookie was again shocked at seeing yet another sign that Eric had been planning to bring her here for some time before he did it, but decided to let it go for the moment. Her mind was reeling. Everything that had happened in the last two nights was starting to overwhelm her. She grabbed the first thing she saw, a blue terry pajama-shorts set, and closed the drawer. She stood on her tip-toes to give Eric a peck on the cheek. "Thanks, Eric." She smiled quickly into his eyes and retreated to the bathroom, anxious to be alone and hoping he wouldn't push her for anything at all right now. She got her wish. He let her go and seconds later he heard her turn on the shower.

He shook his head, walked back into his office, and sat behind his desk without bothering to turn on a light. He could see perfectly well in the dark and he never thought about it. The lights down in this part of the house had been installed for Sookie's benefit. He decided to check his messages. He pulled out his phone and saw that he had six voice messages, and also four texts from Pam.

PAM: Is she itching to get away from you yet? J/K Can I do anything to help? (11pm yesterday)

PAM: You are very quiet. I hope this means she has yielded to you and all is well. (4am this morning)

PAM: Check your voice mail. All hell is breaking loose. (Just after sundown today)

PAM: Will you stop fucking and answer your goddamn phone Master? I need to speak with you! (45 minutes ago)

He had known the world would intrude sooner or later. He sighed and shook his head, dialing in to his voice mail. The first two were from Bobby Burnham and Pam, in that order, from yesterday, confirming things he already knew. He hit delete quickly. The third was from Bill Compton, from just an hour before dawn the previous morning. "Eric, is Sookie with you? Call me back please." He rolled his eyes and hit the delete button.

The next voice message had come just after sundown tonight, from Pam. "The fool brother went to the police today. All is well. I have glamoured him and everyone inside that poor excuse for a sheriff's office. Clancy has gotten to all of her friends who might make trouble."

Next came another one from Compton. "Eric, what is the meaning of what has happened on Sookie's property? I smelled your scent there. If you have done anything to harm her I will…" Eric didn't even listen to the whole message. He rolled his eyes again and deleted it. Something would have to be done about him.

The next one was from Pam again. "Master, please call me back when you get this. Compton is here with the shifter and refuses to leave. I need to know what you want me to do about them."

Eric decided that he would deal with the problem himself. Disconnecting from his voice mail, he called Compton directly. He picked up immediately and Eric could hear the music of Fangtasia in the background. "Eric?"

"Bill, I must ask you to stop bothering my child while she is trying to run my bar." Eric stated with an air of nonchalance.

"Where is Sookie, Eric? What have you done?" Bill demanded.

"Sookie is mine, and she is where she belongs." He was irritated that Bill was sticking his nose where it shouldn't be and he let his annoyance show in his tone of voice. "While you have the shifter there, tell him to replace her. She will not be back to work at his dump."

'The shifter' in question heard that and hurled a few expletives back at Eric while Bill continued to talk.

"What is that supposed to mean? There is more to it than that and we all know it!" Bill insisted. "If you have harmed her…"

"Careful, Billy," Eric spoke slowly, his voice dripping with menace. "I am your Sheriff. Sookie is mine by blood bond and by pledge. I will assume that you do not think to interfere."

Bill stupidly continued to challenge Eric. "There are others involved, Eric. Do they know where she is?"

Eric's voice became even more deadly, and confident. "My claim is absolute and I will deal with all who may oppose me. She is safe with me. Do not annoy me with empty threats."

"Are you sure about that?" Bill continued to push. "How does Sookie feel about this?"

Eric had had enough. "That is none of your business. Get out of my bar, Compton, and take the shifter with you. Pam will be along to see you on your way." He took great satisfaction in punching the hang-up button. He composed a text message to Pam telling her to throw them out bodily if they refused to leave. Pam responded quickly that she would take pleasure in it. She had other news to impart to Eric, and they exchanged a few more text messages before he thanked her and told her that her business with him was done for the night.

There was one more voice mail message on Eric's phone, so he dialed back in. He was more than surprised to hear the cool, cultured voice coming across the line. "Vampire, I understand that you are spending some time with my great-granddaughter. I commend you for your swift action due to the current circumstances and trust that her safety _and happiness_ are your foremost priorities. I will be in touch." _Click._

WTF? Eric was thrown for a loop. He had known that he would eventually hear from Brigant but was shocked that the Faery had seemed to endorse his actions. What was that crack about her happiness? Sookie had gone through an emotional upheaval over the last 24 hours, but there was no way Brigant could know that. Was there?

Eric had been prepared for an attempt by Brigant to take Sookie away from him. It was a fight that he would win, of course. He had thoroughly chained Sookie to his side for the remainder of her natural life. Not even her family, powerful Fae royalty or not, could take her from him. But if Brigant approved of the way he'd whisked Sookie away, the overall danger must be greater than Eric had anticipated. There was no love lost between Eric and Sookie's great-grandfather. It was a relief, and an additional worry. Regardless, Sookie would be kept safe and he would eliminate what was threatening her. Then he would be free to enjoy her for eternity. With that in mind, he smiled and headed for the bedroom to wait for her to finish her shower.

Sookie had stepped gratefully under the hot spray with her eyes closed. She would have to tell Eric that she _loved_ his shower, which had multiple adjustable heads shooting from above and along the sides, along with a separate digital temperature control for each side. Two people could shower together under hot and cold water simultaneously if they wanted to. She thought longingly that it would be nice if she could install something like this in her house. Then she remembered that Eric seemed to have no intention of letting her go back to her house and all of her troubles came rushing back into her thoughts.

She thought about what she knew. Eric was angry over her dates with Quinn, so much so that he'd felt the need to inflict punishment on her. But she hadn't had sex with Quinn, or anybody else (Except Eric) since forming the blood bond with Eric. Didn't he realize that? The thought of Quinn brought a bitter taste into the back of her throat. She had been receptive to Quinn's interest partially because she felt such a huge loss after Eric left. Quinn was obviously a major sore spot for Eric if Eric's actions were any indication. Quinn had hurt and betrayed her. She had wasted her time and affection on Quinn and it had almost cost her everything including her relationship with Eric. How could she have been so stupid?

Pushing thoughts of Quinn to the side she considered her current predicament. She was in a heap of trouble here! A six-foot-five huge blond heap of trouble! What was she going to do about Eric? How could she convince him to let her go? Well, she didn't actually want him to _let her go_; she just didn't want to be held captive by him. She didn't even understand fully what he wanted from her, so how could she figure out what it would take to make him see reason? She'd just promised to stay with him; wasn't that enough to make him trust her? And why should she be the one having to earn the trust when he was the one who had done the leaving in the first place? Even since their blood bond he had only ghosted around the edges of her life every once in a while. Where had he come up with all of the accusations he had thrown at her?

The most confusing part of the whole situation was that he had all of these things here in his house for her. Even sitting here in the shower were her favorite shampoo, conditioner, and body wash along with a back scrubber and bath puff just like she used at home. The food in the refrigerator was the same as what she always bought, and he had a whole closet and dresser full of women's clothes in her size! How long would it take someone to put together something like that, and how had he gotten his information? Then her mind flashed back to the previous night. As Eric had carried her out into her front yard to take off into the sky, he'd locked her front door with a key that was on his key ring! How did he have a key to her house, and why?

Eric had obviously snooped around inside her house or had someone do it for him. If it were anyone _but_ Eric, she would be scared to death that he'd been stalking her. But Eric wasn't a "normal" man, nor was her relationship with him anywhere near "normal." Eric was a vampire in a high position of authority. He made it his business to know everything about everyone he surrounded himself with. When he wanted something, he took decisive action to get it. He had repeatedly told her that she was his and that he owned her. In his mind that would give him the right to lurk on the fringes of her life spying on her, whether she agreed or not. He had done research and made purchases with the intention of bringing her here to his home and keeping her here. Should she just buy his excuse that he'd grown tired of waiting for her to make the decision he wanted her to make? She couldn't help but think that there had to be something more to it. Arrogant and controlling as Eric was, she really didn't think he would uproot her from her life without a damn good reason. So what was the reason?

And then she had gone and done the worst thing imaginable. She had said the L-word to him! Even now her face burned with embarrassment. Here he was, just now coming back into her life, and she had done something that would surely send him running in the other direction! What was wrong with her? Eric was not a man you could control or manipulate. He had made it obvious that he wanted her, but on _his_ terms. The last thing he would want was a human woman trying to cling to him. Everything was churning around and around and around in her head and making her so confused! She wanted Eric, but what did she want _from_ him. Even scarier, what did he want from her?

Finally, she had done everything she could in the shower, even having taken her toothbrush in there with her. She had to face him sooner or later. Reluctantly she turned off the water and stepped out, wrapping the towel around her body. He was sprawled out on his bed, his arms crossed behind his head, staring at her. Of course he had been waiting. Why would he give her any space? At least he had put something on, even if it was just a pair of black track pants. Maybe she could talk to him for once without being distracted by what he carried around below his waist.

Eric watched Sookie step out of the shower and carefully wrap the towel around her body while making sure not to drip any water on the floor. She was no longer innocent and he had touched and tasted every part of her, but he was still enchanted by her sweet modesty. She was so beautiful with her wet hair falling in tangles midway down her back, her skin golden from the kiss of the sun. It pleased him that she was chaste around all others but him, and that he alone would be the one to lead her to discover new parts of her sensuality. That thought made Eric Jr. stand up looking for some attention. Unable to resist, he got up and went to her. In his haste, his vampire speed startled her when his arms were suddenly around her waist.

"Eric!" she snapped. "Will you please stop doing that!" She glared at him and slapped at his hands but was unable to keep an amused twinkle from her eyes. One of the things she most enjoyed about being with Eric was, not only did she love him, but she _liked_ him as well. He could have a certain boyish, playful charm that she doubted he showed to anybody else. Well, when he wasn't being exasperating and arrogant, that is. Her shower had made her feel better at least physically and Eric picked up on her slightly improved mood. He would wait a little while to bring up serious matters again with her, he decided.

"What shall we do with the rest of our evening, Lover?" he asked while playfully trying to tug the towel from around her breasts to peek inside.

"Eric, I swear you never matured past the age of 12, did you?" She firmly held the towel tighter around herself and pushed him away, laughing. "Besides, you need your own shower. You're still covered in blood!"

He looked down and realized that there were still streaks of blood on his chest and arms. "It is your blood, my Sookie," he said, completely serious. "It is my honor to wear your blood on my body!"

She looked at him like he was crazy and tilted her head to the side. Vampires. You never knew what they would say next. "Oh, Eric, that's just gross!" She shook her head and walked past him to look in the mirror, picking up a comb that looked suspiciously like the one she used at home. She looked at it pointedly, then back to him. "We still haven't talked about this, you know."

"Talked about what?" He opened his eyes wide, trying unsuccessfully to look innocent. "Why don't I get you all dirty so that you can take another shower with me?" He tried to pull her in to his chest to rub the dried blood all over her but she backed away, holding her hands up in a "stop" gesture. As soon as she let go of the towel he took the opportunity to snatch it away from her body. She squealed and ran for the bedroom and the little pile of clothes she had left on the night stand.

Never one to ignore a chase, Eric gave her two seconds and took off after her, growling. She heard his fangs click in to place right before he tackled her and rolled her beneath him on the bed. She hadn't seen him coming; he'd been nothing but a blur of speed. She giggled as he said "I vant to drink your blood" in the worst Dracula accent she'd ever heard, then pretended to bite her ears, chin, neck, shoulders, breasts… Very soon the giggles and growls subsided, turning into moans, gasps and sighs of pleasure. Some time later he carried her, arms clasped around his neck and legs wrapped around his waist, into the shower, their lips locked together passionately. His track pants had somehow disappeared and it seemed that he had managed to get some of that blood on her after all.

Eric, finally free of blood, and Sookie, squeaky clean after her second shower of the night, sat together in the media room, an unlikely picture of domestic bliss. The TV was on but neither of them was paying any attention to it. He had recovered the black pants and was sitting on the floor in front of Sookie, in her pj-shorts, who was using her comb on his wet hair. "You have beautiful hair, Eric. Have you always worn it long like this?" She divided it into three parts and began to braid it. His eyes were closed, loving the feel of her taking care of him like this.

"We would only wear our hair long in peaceful times when we were at home with our families," he told her. "When we were away from home for warring our trading we would cut it back so that our enemies had nothing to grab on to in battle." He chuckled.

"So then, when you were turned, you weren't out adventuring? Raping and pillaging, and all that?" She was teasing him slightly.

"No," he responded. "It did not happen while I was away." His eyes were distant and he was reluctant to elaborate. The memory was unpleasant for him.

"You didn't expect anything to happen, did you?" She had picked up on his sudden quietness.

"I could not go back to my family. We had to leave the area when we were made to avoid the possibility of being recognized by someone we knew."

She leaned forward and put her arms around his shoulders. He kissed her hand and toyed with her fingers. "I can't even imagine what that must have been like."

Eric patted Sookie's hands and took the comb from her. He sighed. "It was a long time ago! I no longer dwell on what I have lost." He slid sideways and pulled her down onto the floor to sit in front of him. "Now I will do your hair." He began the task of gently pulling the tangles from Sookie's damp hair. They sat quietly together until he'd styled hers into a French braid.

Patting the back of her hair, Sookie was amazed. "Where did you learn to do that?" She smiled at him.

He grinned back. "When you wear your hair long, you learn many ways of dealing with it."

She laughed. "I've always wanted to know how. Will you teach me?" She continued to feel and play with it.

"Of course!" he promised.

She turned fully around, put her hands on Eric's cheeks, and kissed him. "I can't believe I ever thought you were cold and evil."

He frowned. "You were frightened of me," he stated simply, pulling her close and tucking her head under his chin. He loved the way her small body fit so perfectly into his embrace. She scooted in, hugging him, and her legs went around his waist.

"You know, I really wasn't," she admitted with a tiny laugh. He leaned back and looked down at her disbelievingly. "It's true!" she laughed again. "I thought you were full of yourself but scary, no. There was something about you; I can't explain it. I knew that you wouldn't hurt me. Me, specifically, that is. I could tell that you were very powerful and dangerous. That was obvious. I know you tried to scare me, popping your fangs out at me and all!"

"You are right; I did do that." He started rubbing her back as he held her.

"Ohhhh, keep doing that!" she purred at him, snuggling closer. "Will you tell me something?"

"Hmmmmmm?" he was enjoying the close contact with her warmth and her delicious scent.

"What would you have done, if there hadn't been a raid?"

His hands stilled for a second, then he moved to rub her shoulders. "Maybe I should not tell you."

She smacked him playfully on the butt. "Why not?"

"You just told me that you were not afraid of me."

"So?"

"Well, you should have been." He was completely serious. "You should have turned right back around and walked out of there, although I don't think that would have done you any good once I had seen you."

"Why?" she was openly curious; she really wanted to know. He could sense that through their bond.

"Bill Compton should have never brought you anywhere near Fangtasia or me. That was stupid of him."

"He only did it because I asked him to, because of Jason." She was still relaxed against him. They were talking about the past, after all.

"I know that, but you did not know any better. He did." Eric was actually starting to get upset from talking about it. "He brought you into the midst of vampires, many of whom were older and stronger than him. He did not do anything to protect you, to keep you from being taken from him."

"I think he thought he could protect me." Her eyes were closed as she leaned on his chest.

"He could not protect you from me." Eric was struggling to stay calm. "I would have taken you from him that night. You would have never seen him again."

"Eric, why is this upsetting you?" Sookie had finally picked up on his anger. "We ended up together anyway."

"Because you deserve better, Sookie!" His hands had stilled. Instead of massaging her, he was holding her tightly against him. "I would not have taken 'no' for an answer. I would have taken what I wanted from you whether you agreed to it or not. I might have even drained you, just for the fun of it!" A single bloody tear escaped from his eye and ran down his cheek; the thought that he might have killed her was so upsetting to him. Sookie leaned back just in time to see it. She leaned up and gently licked it away. He buried his face in her hair.

"I don't think you would have, Eric." She said softly, holding him tightly against her, trying to calm him.

"Sookie, you can not know that!" he protested. "You do not know what I am capable of!" His voice was harsh, emotional.

"Yes I do know what you are capable of!" She smacked him again. "I've seen you kill. I've seen what happens when your vampire nature takes over. What I haven't seen, I've heard of by your reputation. But you've never threatened me, even when I've provoked you. You've never once felt the need to direct that kind of violence toward me. I don't know why that is, Eric, but you know I'm right." He was shaking his head but she continued, undaunted. "Do you know what I think?"

"What?" he said bleakly, his voice was muffled by her hair.

"If you had taken me from Bill that night, you wouldn't have had to get amnesia for me to get to know you."

"Sookie, come on!" He was still having trouble agreeing with her. "It would have been a different me!"

"Why?" This time she pulled back so that she could look him in the eyes. "How many of you are there, Eric? The man who stayed in my house, the man who would have taken me from Bill, the man who I'm sitting here with now; those are all you. And there is only one you. There is only one me. There is something between us, and you know exactly what I'm talking about, that circumstances can't change. Chemistry, destiny, downright stupidity, whatever it is, we have it. Oh sure, we would have gone down a different road to get to this point, but we would still be here. Don't you look at me and try to tell me any different, either. You know I'm right!" She felt the need to repeat herself.

He was still having trouble believing that if he'd taken her from Bill she'd have had anything to do with him afterward, and he told her so.

Sookie laughed at that. "Eric, you've been chasing after me like a hound dog on a possum since day one. God knows I've done everything I could to keep away from you, but you wouldn't let it go. Do you think I'd have had any better luck running from you if everything had happened a different way?"

He growled at that and his fangs popped out. "You are mine! You will never be away from me." He squeezed her tightly against him to emphasize his point.

She shook her head and laughed. "We still have to work on that possessiveness of yours, you know." He growled again. "But you know I'm right."

Eric's tone finally lightened as he accepted the truth of what she was saying. "If you would have been mine beforehand, I would not have minded skipping the amnesia part of it."

That brought to mind another question for Sookie. "What do you remember?" she asked him.

He closed his eyes and thought about the dream he'd had just over 24 hours ago. It was what had driven him to seek out Sookie in the first place. "It was like I was standing over myself, watching. I was sitting in a chair, in your kitchen. It was the kitchen before the fire. I had an ugly blanket around my shoulders and you knelt at my bare feet, washing blood and dirt from them. I looked lost and confused."

She drew in a breath sharply. He really was remembering it. "That was the night it happened," she told him quietly. She had leaned back in to rest against his chest again, and was now stroking his back. "I was on my way home from work. You were out on the road, running. You stopped when you saw my car. I realized that something was wrong when you said you didn't know me. You threatened me, you know."

He laughed. "I remember that as well but I would not have done anything. You somehow smelled.. safe. It is hard for me to explain." He shook his head in disbelief.

"What else do you remember?" She wanted to know.

"You were tired and finally went to bed. I did not want to be away from you, so I followed."He grinned. "I finally had you where I had been trying to get you for months and I had no idea." He chuckled and shook his head.

Sookie also smiled, remembering. "You were quite the gentleman, for once!" But then she sobered. "I really didn't want you in my bed, but you were like a scared little boy. I didn't have the heart to send you away."

He hugged her tightly. "My Sookie, always caring for others above herself! I stayed there with you until the dawn forced me into that awful closet. You felt warm and familiar to me, although I did not know why. I no longer felt frightened or alone." His grin became cocky. "Soon after you were no longer thinking of me as a little boy!"

"Eric, stop!" she teased him, knowing exactly what he was talking about. "I didn't want you in my shower either. I still don't know why I didn't kick you out!"

He smiled wide at this memory. "You say that now!" he teased back. "I asked you if we had been lovers before. When you said no, I said I was a fool."

"That was the first time you and I were.. intimate," she whispered, glad that he couldn't see her face reddening at the memory. "I don't know why I did it. I didn't want to be involved with you. Maybe it was because you were so lost. I was all you had."

"You already had feelings for me," he stated.

"No, I didn't!" she protested.

"Sookie, I will repeat back what you just told me ten minutes ago. There is something between us. I think we both felt it the first night we met but neither of us acknowledged it." He was adamant. He pulled her back to look at her face, to make sure she could see how sincere he was. "That was a night worth celebrating. It was the night you truly became mine."

"I don't see it that way, Eric," she argued. "All I did was give you comfort."

He laughed. "Sookie, I know you better than that. You are not the type of woman who would allow just any man into her shower, or her bed. If you felt nothing for me, you would have ordered me out. You know this. Think. Remember." When she shook her head, he continued. "I will not push this on you. When you really think about it, you will come to the same conclusion."

Eager to move on to another subject, she asked, "Do you remember anything else?"

"We very nearly broke your kitchen table," he grinned at that memory.

"Oh God, Eric!" She buried her head in his chest. "You would remember _that_! Out of everything else… Typical!"

"I remember much more!" He teased her. "The washing machine, the wall, the couch, the floor, the back yard… Need I go on?"

"Stop it!" she couldn't help but laugh but the subject was embarrassing to her.

He sobered. "You told me you loved me one night. There was a fire in the fireplace. You had been entertaining me with episodes of that vampire TV show and we had made love on the floor."

She sighed. She had opened her heart completely to him. He had been so vulnerable himself that it had been impossible not to. "We said a lot of things to each other."

"I said I would bring you to my side. I would give up my position so that we could be together. I would get a regular job." He watched her face, waiting for her reaction.

"And do you remember what happened after that?" she said quietly, not looking at him.

"After we defeated the witches you were almost killed in front of me!" He hissed. "If you had not killed that woman I would have!"

Sookie grew a little tense. This was a memory that she wished had stayed suppressed. She wondered what Eric would do with the information. Would he hold it over her head to try to gain some kind of control over her? Was it why he felt like he could hold her here now without explanation?

Eric felt the tension in Sookie's body and the fear in her heart. He knew that she would wonder what his motives were now that he remembered. At the moment, though, he didn't plan to say or do anything about it. "The next day I woke up and I didn't understand why I was in your house. It scared me, and I lashed out at you." He regarded her carefully, unsure of how she would react.

"I knew your memory would come back eventually." She tried very hard to keep her voice from betraying what she felt.

Eric felt everything she did through the bond. "Sookie, I feel the pain you suffered because of me. I did not feel it that day, but I do now."

She finally lost control, the tears spilling onto her cheeks. "It's OK Eric," she sobbed. "You didn't know what you were saying. You couldn't know."

"You think I did not mean what I said? That I made that promise with no intention of keeping it?" Now he was hurt.

"No, Eric, no!" she continued to sob. "You meant it when you said it. I know that. But then you forgot. You went back to your life. It wasn't important."

"But it _was_ important!" he insisted. "You hid the truth from me! Instead of coming to me, you chose to go to another man! Your place was by my side!" He was angry again and his fangs had popped out.

Afraid, Sookie scrambled out of his lap and jumped to her feet. He followed, advancing on her as she retreated. "You act as though everything that happened was deliberate, designed to hurt you in some way!" she cried.

"How do I know that it was not?" he shouted at her.

"Why are you so mad at me?" she yelled back at him. "This was almost a year ago! You are the one who left! You just disappeared from my life! You didn't call me except when you wanted something! You didn't even thank me for taking care of you!"

"Was that reason to keep things from me?" he demanded. "Even when I forced you to tell me about the fact that we had slept together, you lied to me!"

"I did not lie to you!" she disagreed.

"You did not tell me the whole truth. To me, that is a lie." His mouth set in a hard line and he glared, his expression daring her to contradict him. "Not only that, but I had to pay you money to take care of me!"

"That was NOT my idea, Eric! That was something Jason set up with Pam. I didn't want your money. I still don't want it! I'll give it back to you!" she couldn't believe that he was twisting everything this way.

Eric didn't want her to give the money back to him. He knew she needed it. That wasn't the reason he was so angry. "It is not about the money, Sookie!" he bellowed. "You should have come to me. You should have told me of the promises I made. You should have told me of your feelings!"

"Why would I do that?" she cried. "Why would me saying I love you make a difference to you? Why would you keep a promise that you made while you weren't in your right mind? How did I know whether you would even believe me?"

"There was only one way to find out, wasn't there?"

"You are kidding me, right?" she said sarcastically. "So, I was supposed to walk into Fangtasia, with you sitting up there on your throne, Mr. High And Mighty, and say, in front of every vampire in the state, that I'm in love with you and you're in love with me and ask you when you were going to give up your position, like you promised, so we could be together? Really, Eric?"

"I would not expect you to do it in such a public manner, but yes!" he told her. "That is what I would have wanted."

"In the first place, Eric, I know you worked hard to get where you are. I would never, ever ask that of you, whether you said you would do it or not. But despite that, would it really have made you so happy for me to humiliate myself in that way?"

"How do you know that you would have been humiliated? You did not give me the chance to confirm or deny it, did you?"

"No, I didn't," she conceded. "But come on, Eric, be realistic. You can be very hard to approach. I wasn't sure how you would react."

Eric was taken aback by her admission. "You were afraid to talk to me?" he demanded. He frowned when she nodded, her eyes wide. He enjoyed the fact that he intimidated most people, but he didn't want her to feel that way. "Sookie, I want to make something clear from this moment forward." He raised his eyebrows and looked intently into her eyes. When she nodded again, he continued. "You must never, ever be afraid to ask or tell me anything. It is essential that there be complete trust between us. No matter how ridiculous, unimportant, or frightening it may seem, you must tell me. I promise that I will not laugh at you or lash out in anger. This is very important. Non-negotiable. Understood?"

She paused to consider what he had just said, thinking again that she must be missing something. When his expression started to cloud she decided she'd better answer him. "I hear you, Eric," she finally assured him, wondering why he was being so firm about it. "I didn't know you felt that way."

"I am not happy that you kept this from me, Sookie, but now I am more inclined to be understanding," he told her.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Gee, thanks."

"Do not be sarcastic with me," he snapped. "We are not finished with this discussion."

"OK.." she responded.

"While I now understand your reluctance to come to me to talk about this, that does not excuse the fact that you began a relationship with another man and continued that relationship even after our bonding in Rhodes."

"We already talked about this, Eric," she argued. "I wasn't technically 'yours' until we bonded in Rhodes."

"You gave yourself to me in January when I had amnesia. We made promises to each other. The only reason I did not act on my promises is because you kept them from me!" He was determined that she would understand the way he saw things. "You should not have been seeing other men, and you should not have allowed Sophie-Anne and Andre to seduce you!"

"Wait a minute! What?" Sookie demanded. That comment had come out of left field.

"Do not attempt to hide this from me too, Sookie!" he warned. "I know what you did with them while you were in New Orleans cleaning out your cousin's apartment!" He stared at her angrily, his fangs out and on full display.

It took her a moment to figure out what he was referring to, and then it hit. "Eric! No! Wait a minute!" She backed up and waved her hands back and forth. "No, no, no! You have it all wrong!"

"I do? Then tell me." He folded his arms and had a stubborn set to his jaw.

"Sophie-Anne lied about that night," Sookie explained. "She knew that Threadgill was trying to find an excuse to accuse her of crimes against him. He had given her this bracelet as a gift, and Hadley had taken off with it!" Sophie-Anne Le Clerc, the late queen of Louisiana, had been engaged to marry Peter Threadgill, king of Arkansas. He was looking for an excuse to kill her and had thought to use the disappearance of gifts he'd given her as ammunition to make false accusations about her intentions in the proposed marriage.

"What does that have to do with you sleeping with Sophie-Anne and Andre?" Eric was confused.

"I didn't sleep with them, Eric!" she yelled. "That night, I was in the apartment with them while she told me about the bracelet. She needed to get it back before the engagement ball and she wanted me to find it if I could. She had to be wearing all of his gifts or he could have made false accusations against her. She lied about what we had been doing so that Threadgill wouldn't be suspicious about why they spent so much time with me alone in the apartment! God, Eric! Why would I sleep with them, especially Andre?" She shuddered in revulsion, remembering how he had tried to force her to bond with him.

Eric stood and stared at her, considering her words. "Neither of them is here to dispute you. How do I know you are telling me the truth?" He demanded.

"Why in the hell would I lie to you about that?" Sookie shouted. "We weren't even together when it was supposed to have happened!"

"Yes, we were!" he insisted. "You were still mine whether you acknowledge it or not!"

"Says you," she retorted. "Look, Eric. You keep telling me that this blood bond can keep us from lying to each other. Can't you tell that I'm being truthful here?" She looked at him pleadingly.

"_Why didn't I think of that?"_ he asked himself. "_Sookie makes me crazy! I am not thinking clearly._" He could open and close his side of the bond easily, but he knew Sookie had not learned how to do that with her side. He closed his eyes and felt the bond. He felt anger, determination, and… love? But there was no deception. He opened his eyes and looked clearly at her for the first time since this argument had started. She had no reason to lie to him. She was right. He had to apologize. "I am sorry for doubting you, Sookie. Please forgive me." The words rolled off his tongue easier than he'd thought they could. He was unused to apologizing, even when he knew he was wrong about something.

"I accept your apology," she responded. But she was still angry at him. He obviously believed that she'd been sleeping around and he was definitely misguided about when they had _actually_ been in any kind of a relationship. He still looked like he had a lot to say so she prompted him. "You obviously aren't finished yelling at me, so why don't you get it over with."

She was getting to know him very well, he thought. He wasn't sure if he liked it or not. "There is still the matter that you entered into a relationship with Quinn when you should have come to me. You continued to sleep with him even after our blood bond in Rhodes! How am I supposed to overlook that?" He scowled at her, flashing plenty of fang.

There it was. The reason that he flipped out every time Quinn's name was mentioned. Sookie was more than glad to get the truth out in the open. "Eric, I didn't sleep with Quinn after we bonded." She said honestly.

"Sookie, I have warned you before about lying to me!" His scowl became deeper.

"I'm not lying to you!" She looked earnestly into his eyes, pleading silently for him to believe the truth.

He would not be dissuaded. "I saw you go into your hotel room with him the night we bonded. He did not come out again until morning. Where did he sleep? In the bathtub?" This was a sore subject for Eric and he could barely restrain himself from walking over and shaking her.

"He slept with me, Eric. In my bed. But there was no sex. I was an emotional wreck. I wasn't in the mood for anything like that."

Taking a cue from a few moments ago, he felt into the bond again and found that she was being truthful with him. "What about that night the two of you went out? When you rejected me?" He hated to think about that night.

"We actually just had dinner," she explained. "Nothing else, Eric." She leveled a glare at him, tired of being questioned.

Once again, he felt no deception in the bond. "Do you deny that you were intimate with him at all?" He wanted to know.

"No, I don't." she stated. "It was one time. It was before Rhodes. Eric, the only man I've been with since Rhodes is you." She looked him squarely in the eye, almost daring him to contradict her.

This was a major revelation to Eric. He had made assumptions about Sookie, and those assumptions were wrong. Not only that, but his punishment of her the night before had been much harsher than it should have been. While she was guilty of associating with another man, Quinn, after their bonding and pledging, she had not violated their bond by having sex with him.

He immediately felt remorseful. He was ashamed of his behavior. He took two steps across the room and swept Sookie into his arms."Dear one, I made assumptions about your behavior that were incorrect. Can you forgive me?" Still irritated, she pushed against him asking to be set down.

When Eric set her back down on the ground, she looked up at him. "I don't know, Eric. This is a really big deal. Are you always going to assume the worst about me? Will you be suspicious of what I do every time I'm out of your sight? Is that why you're keeping me here?"

Eric knew he had wronged her in a big way. He would have to find a way to make it up to her. "Sookie, I only harbored those suspicions because we were apart for so long. I did not know your true reason for not coming to me to talk about our relationship. I thought you were hiding from me. The bond we now share will not allow either of us to deceive the other. Even if we did not have the bond, though, I would trust you. I hope that I can find a way to prove that to you." He was absolutely sincere and she saw it in his eyes.

"You've got some major sucking up to do, you know!" she told him sternly.

"Sucking up? I do not know this term. Explain."

That was so typically Eric that she had to laugh. "It means you'd better be really, really nice to me!"

"I am always nice to you! Do you want me to show you how nice I can be?" He moved his eyebrows up and down suggestively and reached for her. She stepped away, eluding him. Not wanting to push her too far, he allowed her to retreat.

"Why don't we sit down and watch television for a while?" He suggested.

"I have a better idea," she said. She was going to try again. He nodded encouragingly and she told him "I want to go home. Take me home please, Eric."

"No, Sookie. You can not go back to Bon Temps." He had walked right in to that one and was upset that this was going to come up again so soon.

She scowled at him. "Why not? What do I have to do? I promised you I'm not going to run away from you. Even if I did, you could just use the blood bond to find me. We've just established that I never cheated on you and that you trust me. What do I have to do? Tell me, Eric!" Her voice got louder and more hysterical as she ranted.

"I did not want to tell you this yet," he said sadly. "Come, sit down with me, please." When she would have moved to her own chair, he pulled her into his lap and then cradled her against his chest. He took a deep breath and sighed. "You have no home to go to, Sookie. Your home is gone."

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**...Uh-oh! What happened? Did Eric do it? If he didn't, who did, and why?**

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**I thrive on your reviews and comments. Please let me know what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for reading! I'm blown away by all the reviews you are sending me. I appreciate your sticking with me. I am trying to answer all of you but I'm very behind, so please know how much I value you. You're the greatest!**

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****Many many thanks to charhamblin, my most awesome beta and fact-checker! I couldn't do this without you!**

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**********!WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned!**

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**Charlaine Harris owns these characters. I'm only borrowing them for a little while.**

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**Previous:**

"I did not want to tell you this yet," he said sadly. "Come, sit down with me, please." When she would have moved to her own chair, he pulled her into his lap and then cradled her against his chest. He took a deep breath and sighed. "You have no home to go to, Sookie. Your home is gone."

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**Chapter 5: Coming (ahem) to Terms with Each Other**

Sookie would have jumped to her feet but Eric held her fast. Tears of shock and grief were beginning to run down her face. "WHAT?" she yelled at him. "Eric, please tell me you're joking!" Her eyes pleaded with him.

Eric sighed and tightened his hold on her. "I am afraid not, Sookie."

Suddenly her eyes widened and she began to struggle and push against him wildly. "Let me go!" He reluctantly released her. She jumped up and whirled around to face him. "Oh my God, Eric! What did you do? My home! Gran's home! How could you, Eric? How could you?"

She sank to the floor and curled into a fetal position, sobbing miserably as she remembered all the things that had happened in that house. Running through the sprinklers as a child. Doing homework and drawing at the kitchen table. Playing football with Jason. _Making love with Eric in front of the fireplace…_ She shook her head trying to rub out that particular memory. Gran's wedding dress was gone, the one she'd hoped to wear someday for her own wedding. She held her knees to her chest and cried.

Eric got to his knees on the floor, meaning to scoop her up in his arms to comfort her. She pushed him away violently. "No!" She screamed, crab-walking back into a corner to get as far away from him as she could. "Don't you touch me! Don't you touch me ever again, you son of a bitch! You said you cared for me! How could you _lie_ to me like that!" She covered her face with her hands in despair.

Suddenly he was looming over her, pulling her hands from her face and gripping her wrists tightly. "I warn you, Sookie, you are walking on very thin ice here!" He had gone from concerned to murderously angry and his voice dripped with menace. "You are understandably upset, but I will not allow you to speak to me that way!"

She pulled back as hard as she could, trying fruitlessly to free herself from his grip. "You just did God-knows-what to my family home, the home I've lived in for almost my entire life, and you are giving me shit about the way I'm _speaking to you_? You are fucking unbelievable!" She shook her head in disbelief and tried again to free herself. He would not let go. There would be bruises there in a few hours.

He yanked her forward into his chest and snaked his arm tightly around her back, now holding both of her wrists in one of his large hands. "That is exactly what I am doing!" He got down right in her face and she turned her head away. "Look at me, Sookie!" he ordered, giving her body a shake. She stared back at him defiantly. "You will remove that accusing tone from your voice, and I mean NOW!"

"Fuck you, Eric!" she spat at him. She yanked again, trying to free herself from his grip, and he finally let go. Before she could think she raised her hand and slapped him as hard as she could across the face. The room became deadly silent, the sound of the slap hanging in the air between them. She knew full well the danger she was in but she didn't care. Tears were still streaming down her face but she managed to hold her head up while she continued to defy him.

"You are but a hair's breadth from a punishment you will never forget, Sookie!" he threatened her, and he meant it regardless of her current sorrow and pain. How dare she accuse him? How dare she hit him? What happened to the trust she had proclaimed to have for him just hours ago? "You know goddamn well that I did not do this! You are using me as a convenient target for your anger. We are bonded, or have you forgotten that? You belong to me and I will not have that kind of insolence from you! If I am lying, you will know it. You know what you have to do, and I suggest that you do it." He had thought to be gentle with her to try to calm and console her, but she had rejected him. He had restrained her because he was tired of her hitting and kicking at him every time she flew into a rage. True to form, she had done it again as soon as he let her go.

Sookie sighed heavily and gave Eric a dirty look before closing her eyes and feeling into the bond that she had forgotten about. She felt anger, and truth, but most of all she felt hurt. She had hurt him deeply and he was allowing her to see it by fully opening his end of the bond for once. Now that she felt it, it floored her. It was so overwhelming that she clutched at her chest and slumped to the ground. She opened her eyes wide and stared at him as though she'd never seen him before in her life. "_What is the matter with me? Why do I always blame him?"_ she thought.

"Eric, I…" she said softly before hanging her head. "I don't know what to say. 'I'm sorry' doesn't seem good enough." She picked herself up and climbed into his lap, surprised that he allowed it, and pressed herself against his chest. His body was rigid. She made to touch his face and he moved his head away, still staring daggers at her. His fangs were out and his eyes were slits of cold steel. "Can you ever forgive me?" she asked. He didn't move or respond but his shoulders relaxed a little.

With difficulty, Eric retracted his fangs. Sookie made him crazy! The fact that she was so quick to accuse him of doing something so heinous had cut him to his core. He had wanted to yank her across his lap and spank her until she couldn't sit down for a month, but he knew that would have been the wrong way to handle the situation. He had just barely kept control of himself. Now she was apologizing, finally having seen the truth through the bond. They were bound for life, or at least the remainder of her life. How could they be together if she refused to trust him, always thinking the worst? For once he was at a loss for words.

Then she spoke in a small voice. "Can you tell me what happened?" Her head was bowed and occasional tears were dripping onto her lap. Eric sighed and cupped her cheek, wiping the tears away with his thumb and cradling her against his chest. His anger was slowly dissipating.

"I can tell you what I know." He stated. "But I don't know everything."

All of a sudden Sookie threw her arms around his waist and squeezed him tightly. She nuzzled against his chest and whispered, "Are you going to punish me?"

Eric was taken aback. "What?" was all he could think to say.

She pulled away and looked him in the eyes. "I was wrong. I should never have doubted you. I should not have blamed you. God, Eric, I hit you! Maybe I deserve it." Her lower lip trembled a little, as did her voice. "How else can I make it up to you?" She reached up and tenderly touched his cheek where she had slapped him. It hadn't really hurt him and there was no mark, but he had done nothing to deserve her ire.

"I am not sure if I will punish you, Sookie." he said grimly. "I gave you some devastating news. Your anger was justified, even though your suspicion of me was not. I will think about it. Let us just move past it." His jaw was set and his eyes gave the message loud and clear. _Drop the subject._ Reluctantly, Sookie nodded.

He went on. "Sookie, what I am about to tell you will frighten you. Do you remember when I said that I would always tell you the truth? That I might not tell you everything that I know, but what I told you would be the truth?" She nodded. "This is one of those times."

"But Eric…" she started to protest.

He cut her off in a furious voice. "You will learn to listen to me and not question my decisions! We will discuss that in more detail at another time. But now, do you want me to tell you about your house or not?" He was giving her that no-nonsense look again and she knew that arguing would make him angrier than he already was at her. She wisely nodded and remained silent. "Someone came to your home the night I brought you here. I do not know if their plan was to take you or kill you. They burned your house to the ground."

Sookie gasped, suddenly terrified. "But why? Eric, do you know why?" She made to jump up and he let her go, watching as she began to pace back and forth.

Eric nodded. "I have my suspicions, but I would like to keep them to myself until I know more. I do not want to plant ideas in your head that may be incorrect. Trust me, please, Sookie."

She opened her mouth to argue, but Eric gave her a pointed look. She decided that she had to speak her mind anyway. "Eric, this concerns me. Don't you think I should know who is after me? Is it the Fellowship again?"

He considered her words, but ultimately he thought it better to wait until he had all of the facts. Besides, he'd asked her to trust him and she was still questioning him. He would have to teach her to be more submissive to him, especially in matters like this. He expected her to trust his greater knowledge and experience in situations like right now when their lives might depend on it. She had asked him if he would punish her for her earlier conduct. Maybe he should.

When he answered he made his voice sound harsher than he felt. "Sookie, I have asked you to trust me in this matter. I do not know all of the facts yet. When I do, I will share with you what you need to know."

Her brain was racing a mile a minute. In the wake of being told that her ancestral home was gone, Eric refused to share with her the information he had. Even if it wasn't complete, or entirely accurate, she wanted to know. His refusal to tell her anything damaged her ability to trust him. She drew in a shaky breath. "Eric, I want to leave. I don't want to stay with you any more."

He had been watching her the entire time and knew through the bond what she was feeling. Even so, her statement took him off-guard. His anger boiled back to the surface. "That will be difficult given the fact that you have no place to go." He regarded her from behind narrowed eyes.

"Jason," she stubbornly insisted. "I can stay with Jason. Or Sam! I know he has a couple of vacancies in his apartment complex. Bill has a guest room. Eric, you can't keep me here against my will!"

He had absolutely had it. It was bad enough that she refused to trust him. Now she wanted to get away from him? This was the only place where he could ensure her safety! The minute she mentioned Compton his temper flared and shot through the roof. He rose from the chair and, before she could blink, he backed her up against the nearest wall and pinned her there, his hands on either side of her shoulders. "You think I can't? There is the fucking door, Sookie!" He pointed in the general direction of the exit. "Go ahead! Open it! If I can not keep you here, then let yourself out! Be my guest!" He grabbed her arm, dragged her to the door in question and spun her around to face it. Then he made a hand gesture that said 'there you go!' He raised his eyebrows, folded his arms, and waited with a scowl on his face.

Sookie threw up her hands and started to walk away from both him and the door. "You can be such an asshole sometimes!"

She took barely three steps before he spun her around and hauled her up against his chest, pinning her arms behind her back. "Your brother can not help you! Sam can not help you! Your precious _Bill_ can not help you!" He sneered when he said Compton's name. "Only I can protect you in this situation, and NO ONE can protect you from me!" That predatory look had come back into his eyes as he stared her down for a few seconds. He freed one of his arms, holding both of hers hostage behind her back, and bent her backwards, burying his face in the crook of her neck and inhaling deeply before grazing the delicate skin over her pulse with his fangs. His free hand pressed against her mound and continued downward, feeling the moisture there through her shorts. He chuckled darkly.

She struggled ineffectively against his hold, face flaming red with mortification as her body betrayed her. "Eric stop! No!" Even to her, her protest was weak. She shivered when his fingers made their way inside her skimpy attire and began to caress her folds, then her hips bucked and her back arched even more when his thumb found her nub and began to stroke it, around and around, building up to vampire speed. A harsh cry broke from her lips and she screamed his name just seconds later as he brought her to a strong climax that caused her knees to buckle. If he hadn't been holding her up she would have hit the floor.

As soon as Eric heard her cry out he sank his fangs deeply into her neck, tasting the blood that was so much sweeter when mixed with her release. He released her arms from his grip behind her back and she brought them up to pull him tightly against the arch of her throat as he fed. Her other arm reached around his waist and held him tightly. He backed her up against the door to keep her from falling down as he slowed the motions of his thumb to a gentle caress and thrust two fingers inside of her. The combination of his feeding and the new sensation of his fingers pumping in and out of her rocked her body with another orgasm that sent intense waves of pleasure throughout her body.

He reluctantly pulled his fangs from her neck and licked the tiny wounds so that they would close. She didn't speak but her eyes were glazed over with passion and pleasure. He lowered his head to take her mouth in a deep kiss. She opened immediately and accepted him, swirling her tongue around both fangs and tasting her own blood. He shuddered and growled at this intimate contact with his ultra-sensitive fangs.

Eric was overcome with the need to prove his dominance over her. He was tired of her constantly talking back and questioning him on everything. He lowered them both to the floor, ripping her bottoms away in one motion. She gasped into his mouth as he had not released her from their kiss. His hand on her stomach held her hips in place while he kicked her thighs apart with his knees. She didn't fight him; instead her hand grasped the waistband of his pants and began to push them down over his tight ass.

He removed his hand from her stomach long enough to push his pants out of the way, but then he was back at work teasing her clit and working her into a frenzy. As his erection sprang forward, finally free, she grasped it firmly and swirled the single drop of moisture around the head with her thumb. He wasn't in the mood for playing. He growled again and moved her hand out of the way, positioning himself at her entrance and pushing all the way inside with one commanding thrust. She was soaked and ready for him, but still surprised at his abrupt action. She cried out a little, a sound he silenced with another deep, hungry, and dominating kiss. She had no choice but to respond, which she did enthusiastically.

Both of her arms were around him, squeezing his cheeks and trying to push him deeper inside. He was having none of that, determined to control every last motion between them. He reached around and captured first one hand, then the other, threading his fingers through hers and leaving her no choice but to do the same. He pulled her hands above her head and held them there, delighted when she struggled to free them and he held her with his superior strength. Her hands, mouth and body were his to do with as he pleased.

He growled again with pure male satisfaction and ripped his mouth from hers at the same time he suddenly stopped moving within her. She had closed her eyes and he didn't like it. "Look at me," he commanded softly. She complied immediately, and he took great pleasure in noticing how swollen her lips were from his kisses. He pushed inside her in one forceful thrust, then he pulled almost all the way out and stopped again. She began to squirm beneath him, lifting her hips in an attempt to get him back inside her. He held himself at her entrance.

"Eric!" her voice was breathy and full of need. She tried again to impale herself on him but he moved with her, still poised just barely inside.

"You are mine, Sookie," he whispered, giving her a soft kiss and holding her eyes. "Say it, Lover. Tell me you are mine."

"You already know the answer to that!" she confirmed, trying again to get him back inside her.

"I want to hear you say it," he insisted, leaning down and taking her mouth for another spectacular and hungry kiss. He pushed slowly, agonizingly into her, once, twice, and then held himself again, making her crazy with need. He hoped she wouldn't wait too much longer to say it, because he wasn't sure how long his own control would hold out.

He released her mouth and she nipped and licked at his lower lip. He poised himself there, just inches away, ready to take her again as soon as she told him what they both knew to be the absolute truth. Finally, she said it. "Yes, Eric. Yes, I am yours. Completely, absolutely yours."

"_And I will make sure you know it!"_ he thought as he gave her a heartbreaking smile and kissed her for all he was worth, thrusting powerfully, almost brutally inside her and giving them both the friction they so desperately craved. She moved her hips in rhythm with his as he rode her faster and faster, until finally she was hanging on with everything she had as he used his vampire speed.

Sookie was absolutely mindless as the tension built and built inside her. She felt Eric move his hands so that he was holding both of hers in one of his, and then he reached between them to touch her clit. He pressed on it once with his thumb and began to move around and around it building up to the same speed as his cock was thrusting inside her. In seconds she was riding a wave of intense pleasure like she'd never felt before. "Eric!" she screamed as her inevitable release came closer and closer.

Eric was nearly there but determined to give Sookie her release first. As he held himself back he felt her walls spasm around him at the same time as she screamed his name, again, for dear life. He sank his fangs roughly into the same place in her neck, wanting to bruise and mark her, and tasted the honey of her sweet release in her already delectable blood. This took him over the edge, and he released her only long enough to utter a growl from deep within his soul before he sank his fangs back into the same spot and continued to pull her lifegiving essence down his throat.

She felt him release her hands from above her head before he drove his own fingernail into the artery in his neck and pulled her head forward to suck on the wound he had made there. She needed no further urging and latched on hungrily. They both rode the little aftershocks of their release as he brought his hips to a reluctant stop and rolled over so that he didn't crush her with his greater weight. He remained hard inside her while they drank from each other and the little shocks of pleasure in their loins continued every few seconds. Finally he pulled his fangs from her. He licked the two punctures only long enough to stop the bleeding. He wanted her to bear his marks for at least a day or two before they healed. He knew they would heal faster with his blood inside her and that was why he had been so savage when he'd made them. As Sookie pulled her lips from his throat the wound closed immediately. She immediately sought his lips for a deep and tender kiss, their mutual blood mingling together in their mouths. She was suddenly overcome with blissful drowsiness and fell away from his kiss, asleep.

Eric picked Sookie up and carried her to the bedroom, glancing at the clock on the night stand. It was nearly 5am! No wonder his bonded had succumbed to her exhaustion. As he had done before, he found a pair of pajama bottoms in her chest of drawers and pulled them on to her. Then he laid her in the bed and covered her up, settling down beside her on top of the comforter. He thought she was beautiful in her sleep and he sat there for several minutes staring at her. But his mind was churning.

He suspected Fae involvement in the destruction of Sookie's home, but he didn't know who and why. Pam had gone sniffing around the destruction on his orders, and had smelled more than one Fae scent that she didn't recognize. There had been absolutely no rumors in the grapevine about any plot to harm her directly. He knew that she had a crazy uncle, Dermot, running around out there, but this was extreme even for him. Had he not gone to Sookie to confront her about his dream, he might have lost her forever! It was almost too coincidental, however, and he had to wonder if there had been some supernatural involvement. Vampires did not dream. They died every day until the sun went down. They had no brain activity. So how was he able to relive parts of his time with Sookie before he rose? He had been absolutely frantic to get to her that night, another thing that was unusual for him. He rarely, if ever, let something like this bother him enough that he would alter his plans to deal with it. It was just one more mystery surrounding Sookie.

He wanted to talk to Niall. Niall was in a better position to understand and hear about Fae uprisings than Eric was. He had a number to call, but needed to do it when Sookie wasn't around to hear. That was easier said than done. Until this problem was resolved, he was not even letting Sookie out into the upper part of his house, let alone back to Bon Temps. Neither was he going to leave her locked up down here by herself. She would go crazy and he wasn't sure what she might do. He knew that she thought he was an overbearing tyrant for keeping her here and not even allowing her to contact her friends or family. His reasoning was not wholly selfish. Yes, he wanted her to himself; that was a given. But, neither of them could resume their normal lives until this mess was dealt with. She was in danger, and there was no way he could go back to his normal activities until he no longer needed to protect her. So, for the time being, they were here.

Just as he was starting to feel the pull of daytime slumber, his cell phone went off. He picked it up and frowned at the number before going into the media room and sitting down. "Hello, Niall. What can I do for you?" he said in a hard and suspicious voice.

"Greetings to you too, Vampire!" Niall sounded strangely amused.

Eric was never one to waste time on pleasantries. "What is happening, Brigant? Why was Sookie's house torched?"

"I am afraid I cannot tell you all of the facts at this time, Northman," was his cryptic reply. When he heard Eric starting to growl he continued. "I will tell you this. Sookie is going to start acting very strangely, very soon. She will not know why, and she cannot yet know why. It will be up to you to keep her, _occupied,_ so that she does not dwell on the strange way she feels." He chuckled.

Absolutely frustrated, Eric responded, "What the fuck are you talking about? What is going to happen to my Sookie?" A bit of worry crept into his voice. "If you will not tell me what is going on, how am I supposed to deal with it?"

"I will be honest with you, Eric." Eric wondered why Niall had suddenly switched to the use of his first name. "I would not have chosen you to mate with my great-granddaughter. But it seems that she has chosen you. Therefore we are family." Niall almost choked on the word. "You must keep her with you. Do not let her go back to Bon Temps or make contact with anyone there. It is too dangerous. She is meant to do great things and she will develop a power that has lain dormant in her until now. The only one immune to the effects of her power will be you, her mate. Her power will equally protect you both. Only one other in history has ever held this power, and she was murdered long before she could use it. There are those Fae who suspect what Sookie can do, and seek to remove her from the world. You are very powerful and your blood will help her power to grow. You must continue to give her your blood. Force it upon her if necessary. That is all I can say at this time."

Eric couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Let me get this straight. You want me to keep Sookie locked up here with me, whether she likes it or not. You want me to force her to drink my blood. You want me to control her thoughts and actions as much as I can to keep her from thinking or doing something that could hurt more than just the two of us. Do I understand you correctly?"

"You understand me correctly," Niall repeated. "I will contact you soon. In the meantime, I am counting on you." _Click._

Eric stared at his phone for long minutes after Niall had hung up. The conversation had been too strange for words. There was obviously something bigger going on than a bunch of redneck yahoos going after Sookie for her association with vampires. He was almost disappointed to find out that the Fellowship of the Sun had no involvement. But, then again, the renegade Fae who wanted Sookie dead might choose to align themselves with anybody. They would cross that bridge when they got to it.

What was he going to do about Sookie? Her willfulness and sense of independence would have her fighting him every step of the way if he was going to do what Niall had requested. It would hurt her for him to keep her from her friends and family and Eric wouldn't be able to tell her why he was doing it. He would have to take a firm hand with her. That would be easy. Eric was by nature a dominant personality. He sent Pam a quick text message telling her that he would continue to be out of touch and that she should keep up her underworld inquiries. He sent an email to Burnham, his day man, telling him to buy more groceries for Sookie and have them delivered before tonight, then got up and drifted back to the bedroom. He just managed to get undressed and snuggle in next to Sookie before daytime pulled him under.

Sookie woke to find Eric in bed next to her, awake, propped up on one elbow and staring down at her. Startled, she sat up quickly and looked at the clock. Not only had she slept away the entire day, but Eric had woken up first! She moaned and scrambled to get out of bed but Eric lay back down, put both arms around her, and pulled her on top of him. Normally she would have been all for a make-out session with Eric, but human needs were calling urgently to her. "Hold that thought!" she told him as she shimmied out of his arms and ran for the bathroom.

Eric turned on his side and listened to her activities in the bathroom. He had been awake for about half an hour and had spent that time thinking about Niall's phone call of that morning. The way he interacted with Sookie would have to change so that he could keep her in line. If he could keep her mind away from Bon Temps and everyone she knew there, he wouldn't have to spend so much time refusing to let her do anything having to do with them. He had every intention of fully occupying her thoughts tonight and he looked forward to it. _"There's no time like the present!"_ he mused as he got up to follow her.

She was just rinsing her mouth after brushing her teeth and she had removed her pajamas, intending to shower. Without preamble, Eric picked her up and hauled her into the shower at vampire speed. As soon as he set her down she rounded on him, ready to give him what-for. Before she could say a word he reached out and put a finger to her lips, giving her a stern look as he did it. She was determined. She slapped his hand away and was about to start in on him when he whirled her around, pulled her back into his chest, and covered her mouth firmly with his hand. Of course she struggled indignantly, but he tightened his hold until she could barely move. Finally she gave up and stopped fighting him, but she held herself rigid and let out a huge sigh to let him know that she was not amused with his antics.

"_What the hell is this all about?"_ Sookie thought to herself, highly annoyed with Eric. _"I haven't even had a cup of coffee and he's already up to something!"_

Eric sat on the wide seat in the shower and pulled her into his lap, his "gracious plenty" making itself quite obvious between them. Under other circumstances Sookie would have wiggled her behind against him, but he was still holding her too tightly and covering her mouth. She hoped that he would get the hint. Instead, he seemed to be very pleased with himself. "Well, now that I have your full attention," he said in a firm voice. "Last night you asked me if I would punish you for your behavior, and I wasn't sure. I have made up my mind." Her struggles began anew and she fought to escape his embrace. He was much stronger than her and barely had to use any force to hold her still. She soon realized that she was wasting her efforts and stilled. He continued. "It is only because you slapped me that I feel this is necessary. I will never hit you and expect you to have the same regard for me. Obviously, you don't. Therefore, your punishment is that you must follow every command I give you, immediately and without question, no matter what it is, until I say otherwise. Failure to do so will result in a very different type of punishment, one that you will like even less." With that threat hanging in the air, he removed his hand from her mouth.

True to form, Sookie had something to say. "You are out of your fucking mind, Eric!" she hissed at him. "There's no way I'm agreeing to that bull shit!"

Eric pulled her closer against him and nuzzled the crook of her neck before whispering "you don't have a choice, Sookie. You don't have to agree." He scraped his fangs against her pulse point and her body shivered involuntarily. She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Even in the wake of such a ridiculous statement, she still desired him, and she knew he could smell her arousal.

"Fine, Eric!" she snapped at him. "What do you want?" She was betting that she already knew and it would have something to do with sex. She wasn't too far off the mark.

"Stand up." He ordered. After a moment's hesitation, she complied. "Turn on the water," was his next command. Then he stood up and cornered her under the spray, crashing his lips down on hers in a hungry and brutal kiss. His tongue demanded entrance and she opened to him, their tongues meeting in a battle that he would win. He deliberately pierced her tongue with his fang and sucked on the tiny wound rapturously. Sookie lost herself in the kiss, and when her knees buckled he caught her. He kissed her again, this time a slow and gentle kiss. Her blood was boiling and she reached out to touch him. As soon as she did, he plopped the soap and a washcloth into her hand and ordered her to wash him.

"Kiss my ass, Northman!" she spat and threw them back at him. _"Get me all worked up and then hand me a wash rag. Fuck off!"_ she thought. She turned her back and opened the glass door to leave. His voice stopped her.

"Sookie…" He didn't raise his voice, but it held a warning that she couldn't ignore. She was stuck here with him and couldn't get out. She had no idea what he would do to her if she didn't do as he said. She turned back around and pinned him with a venomous glare. Then she picked up the soap and washcloth, and went to work on him as though she was trying to sand a piece of wood. "I have sensitive skin!" he protested, leering at her.

When she gave him another dirty look and continued what she was doing, he grabbed her wrist and squeezed. "If you would prefer some other form of punishment, I can reconsider." He reached around her and caressed her rear end, making her flush hotly remembering what he had done the night he'd brought her here. She definitely didn't want any more of that. But then her body betrayed her again, moisture filling her channel as her core clenched tightly and certain parts began to throb. She swallowed, hoping that he hadn't noticed. No such luck. He smirked at her and his fangs ran out.

"Maybe I will have to think of another punishment, one you wouldn't enjoy so much." His voice was dripping sex and his eyes had darkened. Sookie swallowed hard and put a hand flat on his chest to push him back. He allowed it, then raised his eyebrows at her, still wearing that damnable, adorable smirk.

Still furious but unwilling to deal with any more of his innuendos, she went back to work with the soap. But washing Eric was more of a pleasure than a chore, especially when he took the soap from her and began to reciprocate. She made sure every part of him was squeaky-clean, especially a certain couple of parts. She made him sit on the seat to wash his hair, and he did the same for her. While she sat on the seat and he worked on her hair, she couldn't help but notice what he was flaunting right in front of her face. Unable to resist, she grasped it firmly and pulled him forward. At first he resisted, suspicious, but then she leaned forward and slid her tongue through the slit at the top, licking away the single drop of moisture there. She looked up at him, shrugged and said, "OK, if you don't want me to…" He changed his mind and stepped forward eagerly, allowing her to take as much of him into her mouth as she could. She would slide in toward him very slowly and then just as slowly pull back, scraping him lightly with her teeth. This made him hiss and thrust forward. She let him put his hands in her hair and guide her, relaxing her throat for him and taking more of him than she ever had before. Every time she felt him in her throat, she would swallow and watch him throw his head back in ecstasy as he felt her spasm around his head. She could feel him coming closer to his release through the bond, and just when she saw his stomach muscles start to tighten, she pulled back and stood up, stepping under the spray to rinse her hair.

Eric's eyes opened and he stared at his bonded in disbelief, the mask of pleasure changing to one of aggression and pure lust. "Oh, Lover, you are in big trouble now!" He growled as he reached for her. She wasn't quite fast enough to evade him, but that hadn't been her intention. He forced her back onto the shower seat on her knees, facing away from him, and pinned her hands to the wall with one of his. With the other he pushed on her back to make her arch for him, then he positioned himself at her entrance and thrust in forcefully to the hilt. She cried out in both pain and pleasure while he pounded her without mercy at vampire speed. His free hand was on her hip, pulling her back against him to meet every thrust. She would be bruised and sore later but they were both lost in complete rapture. As soon as Eric felt that Sookie was near, he reached around and pinched her clit, sending her over the edge screaming his name. He released her hands from the wall and pulled her roughly back against him, sinking his fangs into her neck, again in the same spot he had marked before. He would never get enough of her blood mixed with the ambrosia of her climax. He pulled his fangs out just long enough to growl "bite me NOW!" as he brought his wrist up to her mouth. She didn't have to be told twice. She bit as hard as she could, surprised that she broke the skin, and pulled his life's essence down her throat. His blood was rich and full and uniquely Eric. It didn't taste like anything else but it was like nectar to her.

As soon as she took the first pull of his blood, Eric came inside of her, shooting his hot seed deep inside her womb, still thrusting vigorously and growling at her throat. He pulled his fangs out of her neck at the same time as he pulled out of her sheath, causing her to cry out at the loss. He pulled his wrist from her, and they both collapsed to the shower floor. Eric couldn't let go of her, holding her tight against him. He couldn't believe the feelings this woman was able to draw from him. She may not be the most experienced sex partner that he'd had, but she satisfied him in ways that no other woman had in all his long life. He would never let her go. He buried his face in her sweet smelling hair to bask in her essence, surprised when he raised his head and saw blood on her scalp. But it wasn't her blood. He touched his face and came away with blood on his fingers. He took an unnecessary gasping breath and then steeled himself. He didn't want her to see him cry. He used her wet locks to wash the remaining blood from his face and then stood up, pulling her with him. He turned quickly to put his face under the spray.

Sookie was also overcome with emotion. She had felt every emotion that Eric was now trying to hide. For once he had let down his side of the bond, unguarded. She knew why he was so busy scrubbing his face, but she wouldn't say anything. She was still angry with him, but had already decided that this particular part of her punishment was more pleasure than pain. She loved this man with every bit of her heart and soul. She didn't understand him at times but she would take the bad with the good.

Eric finally turned and looked her over. He saw that he had left quite the bruise on her neck and was ashamed of himself. He touched it tenderly and then lifted his finger to his fang, intending to heal it for her with his blood. She stopped him. "Don't, Eric," she said softly. At his inquiring look she continued. "It doesn't hurt. I'm proud to wear your marks." Then she blushed and looked down. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "What was that? If that was my punishment, then you can punish me every day for the rest of my life!" She shyly raised her eyes to his and looked away again, smiling.

He felt her intense joy and satisfaction through the bond. He pulled her close and held her, speechless for once. They stood there like that under the water until it finally started to cool. Then they quickly rinsed each other off with the handheld and stepped out, drying each other with Eric's big fluffy red and black towels. Eric finally found his voice. "My Lover, you are simply unbelievable!" He grinned at her, but then his face turned stern again. "But if you ever, _ever_ do that to me again, I will do more than fuck your brains out!" He growled and showed her his fangs.

Sookie rolled her eyes. "You deserved it, Eric, for making me wash you like a slave."

He suddenly grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. "What did I tell you about using that word?" All traces of play were gone from his voice and manner.

His actions actually scared Sookie. "I- I'm sorry, Eric! It just slipped out!" She stared at him with wide eyes, unsure of what to say or do.

He closed his eyes and counted to ten. Then he took a few unnecessary deep breaths. When he opened his eyes, he was still angry, but calm. "Sookie, you are _not_ my slave. No matter what I may require you to do for me, remember that."

She nodded and put her arms around his waist. "I'm sorry. I'll try to erase that word from my vocabulary." She rubbed her face against his chest, taking in the scent that was uniquely his. Then she had a thought. "You know what, Eric?"

"What?" He was wary, unsure of what she might say next.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I can smell you." She looked up into his eyes.

He laughed. "I should smell like you, Lover!" then sobered instantly when he saw the serious expression on her face.

"No, I mean I can _smell_ you. I can tell you're a vampire. And you have a unique scent that's all you and, well…" she blushed again, unwilling to tell him what his unique scent did to her. "And, I do smell me. I mean, on you, and I like it." She smiled. "Do you think it's because I've had so much of your blood lately?"

Eric didn't want to lie to her. He knew what was happening, at least partially. Niall had said she'd begin to change. But her taking his blood was part of the change, so technically it wasn't a lie. "That may have something to do with it." He said evasively. Eager to change the subject, he went on. "I think it is time we move on to the next part of your punishment."

"What do you mean?" she asked. "I did what you said. I washed you." She shook her head, not understanding.

"I said that your punishment would last until I said otherwise. Have I said otherwise?"

She had to admit that he hadn't. She sighed, and her shoulders slumped. "OK, Eric. What do you want me to do now?"

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**OK, raise your hand if you'd like to be in this position with Eric. _Anything_ he commands her to do? The line starts here, and I've drawn the number 1. :-K**

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**Please review and let me know what you think. Thank you for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: When I read the translation of this song, I knew it was perfect for Eric and Sookie. Eric doesn't sing this song to Sookie or anything like that. I just read the translated lyrics for the first time today and they seemed perfect for the two of them. Read the lyrics and tell me if you agree. Any Josh Groban fans out there? If so, you'll know the song. I know, it's not Swedish, but I don't have any Swedish music. If you know Spanish and the translations are wrong, please tell me so I can correct it.**

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**Un Dia Llegara...(_One Day It Will Come_)**

Las hojas secas caerán...(**_The dry leaves will fall_**); y cuando llegue Abril, ...(**_and when April comes_**,)...mi alma tocarás. (**_you will touch my soul_**.)...Te acercarás, (**_You will come closer_**,)...vendrás por mí. (**_will come for me_**.)

Después de tanta soledad, (_**After so much solitude,**_)...yo volveré a sentir. (_**I will begin to feel,**_)...Encontraré mi paz en tí. (_**to find my peace in you.**_)

Cuando se duerma la ciudad (_**When the city sleeps**_)...y se despide el sol, (_**and the sun is gone,**_)...te buscaré otra vez, (_**I will search for you**_)...hasta alcanzar esta ilusión. (_**to find this illusion.**_)

Te encontraré y me amarás así (_**I will find you and you will love me as I am**_)...y escucharé en el silencio (_**and I will listen in silence**_)...la voz del corazón. (_**to the voice of the heart.**_)...Y la tormenta se calmará en tus brazos, (_**and the storm will be calmed in your arms.**_)...vale la pena esperar por tu amor (_**It is worth waiting for your love**_)...porque un día llegará. (_**because one day it will come.**_)

Te encontraré y me amarás así (_**I will find you and you will love me as I am**_)...y escucharé en el silencio (_**And I will listen in silence**_)...la voz del corazón. (_**To the voice of the heart**_.)...Y la tormenta se calmará en tus brazos, (_**And the storm will be calmed in your arms.**_)...vale la pena esperar por tu amor el mañana. (_**It is worth waiting for your love to come tomorrow**_.)

Te abrazaré en el silencio, (_**I will embrace you in the silence.**_)...toda la vida esperé por tu amor (_**All my life I have waited for your love.**_)...y ese día llega, sé que vendrás a mí. (_**And that day will come; I know you will return to me.**_)

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**Sorry it's been so long since I posted. There are a few plot kinks I'm still working out, so I present you with a short and very lemony chapter. I hope you like it!**

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**Once again, many thanks to charhamblin, my wonderful beta and fact checker!**

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**WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned! **

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**Charlaine Harris owns these characters. I'm only borrowing them for a little while.**

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**Previous:**

"What do you mean?" she asked. "I did what you said. I washed you." She shook her head, not understanding.

"I said that your punishment would last until I said otherwise. Have I said otherwise?"

She had to admit that he hadn't. She sighed, and her shoulders slumped. "OK, Eric. What do you want me to do now?"

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**Chapter 6: Lemon Meringue Pie**

Eric laughed. "For now let's go get you some coffee and something to eat." Even Eric knew that Sookie before coffee in the "morning" was not a pleasant Sookie. He extended his hand to her and, despite her general annoyance with him, she took it and smiled up at him. They stopped for a minute while Eric put on black silk boxers and a Fangtasia T-shirt, and Sookie found a cute pink babydoll with matching panties. Neither one of them was in the mood for street clothes. They made their way into the other room.

As soon as the coffee maker was dripping, Sookie looked into the freezer where she found a frozen breakfast meal of sausage, eggs, and pancakes. She made a face at it but put it in the microwave. While it was heating she turned to Eric and asked "Why do I have to make my food down here? You have a gorgeous kitchen upstairs!" she was pouting.

This was a question he had tried to prepare for but hadn't quite determined what he would tell her. With the question hanging in the air, he did his best. "Sookie, Lover, I do not yet know the extent of the danger you are in. There is security upstairs, but not nearly as much as there is down here. Until I know more about who is after you and why, we must stay down here where they can not penetrate." He hoped that she would understand and not fight him.

She had poured a cup of her favorite coffee and was picking at the microwave breakfast, both of them seated on bar stools at the wet bar. Her face was thoughtful. "How will you know anything at all when we're holed up down here with no outside contact?" As far as she knew, Eric hadn't seen or contacted anyone but her in days.

"That isn't exactly the case, Sookie," he explained. "I have been talking to and texting Pam every day. After you have eaten, I will show you something."

She pounced on those words, pointing her fork at him. "If you can talk to Pam every day, why can't I call Jason or Sam?" She purposely left Bill out because of Eric's reaction the last time she'd said his name.

Eric really didn't want to have this conversation. He sighed unnecessarily, debating whether to tell her the truth. Finally, he realized that he had to honor their bond. "Sookie, this will be hard for you to hear." The look on her face was expectant and hopeful. He hated to shatter her hope. "They believe you are dead. Well, let me clarify that. They do not know. There is speculation as to whether or not you were in the house during the fire, which apparently burned hot enough to destroy everything completely."

Her mouth was hanging open in shock, and tears pooled in her eyes until they flooded on to her cheeks. All she could do was stare at Eric in disbelief. Finally, she spoke. "And you let my family and friends believe that I am dead? How? Why?" She was no longer able to form complete sentences as grief and shame washed over her.

Eric felt everything through the bond and he hated the fact that he was, at least partially, causing it. He reached out to pull her into his arms. Surprisingly, she let him. She sobbed hard against his chest for several minutes, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. He held her, rocked her, and rubbed her back soothingly. He knew that she had to get this out and, even though he couldn't stand her tears, he let them run their course.

Finally, after several agonizing minutes, she lifted her head and looked into his eyes with her tear-stained ones. "This is really bad, isn't it Eric?" Several scenarios had run through her head while she had let Eric hold her. She'd wanted to scream at Eric, rail against him for his cruelty to those she loved. She was emotionally exhausted and feeling out of sorts. Even so, she had finally understood what had evaded her in the past days. Eric wasn't keeping her here out of selfishness or a need to control her. Someone was trying to kill her, someone Eric didn't know (and Eric knew _everybody_). He must be desperately afraid for her; otherwise he wouldn't do this. Her heart swelled with love and gratitude.

"Yes, it is," he said sadly. "It is why I demand your obedience. We need to be on the same side, Sookie. If you fight against me, we both might be killed."

The thought of Eric meeting his final death was too much. Sookie swooned in his arms and would have fallen if he hadn't caught her. She blinked several times, unable to clear her head completely. Once again, she looked at Eric with new eyes. He was a warrior, a protector. _Her_ protector. "Eric," she said in a small, tight voice. "Don't ever say that to me, please. I can't stand the thought of you dying for any reason, least of all me. I won't let anybody hurt you! I don't care who they are!"

Eric was moved by the emotions he felt through their bond. They were more intense than anything he'd ever felt from her. The pain of her losses was still there, but it was being overpowered by her fierce love and determination to keep him safe. Him. Eric the Viking warrior, the most feared enforcer on the planet. His little Valkyrie wanted to protect _him_! He'd witnessed her strong loyalty to those she loved, and he had been so envious of them. He'd only dreamed that one day he might be included in that devotion, and the day had finally arrived. He knew, without a doubt, that her declaration of love for him had not been a mistake or a slip of the tongue. She meant it. It was time to tell her the secret he had been hiding almost since the day they had met.

He pulled her close against his chest and kissed the top of her head. As he held her there, he began to talk. "Sookie, do not fear. They will not get me. I will be here, always, for you. I will not let anyone take you from me. I do not know how long I could live in this world without you by my side. You are mine, and I am yours. I love you." Now that he had said it, it felt like a huge weight was lifted off his chest. He was happy in that one moment.

Sookie's face was buried in his chest, unable to get enough of his unique scent while the impact of his words washed over her. She hugged him as tightly as she could, planting kisses everywhere she could find bare skin. "Oh, Eric, can you feel how much I love you?" She didn't know how to open or close her side of their bond but she tried to pour all of her feelings into it for him.

He felt her love in every part of his body, especially one in particular. Sookie noticed it too and reached into his boxers to grasp him firmly. Eric hissed in pleasure as she started to stroke him. She took the single drop of moisture and wet her index finger with it, then smeared it on her lips and licked it seductively away with her tongue. As she moved her hand back down to stroke him some more, he fisted his hand in her hair and pulled her to him for a deep, hungry kiss. She deliberately pierced her tongue on his extended fangs so that he could taste her blood, and he sucked on it hungrily.

She broke the kiss just to move inches away from his mouth and said breathlessly, "Eric, I want to taste you." To emphasize her point, she gripped him harder.

Before she could take a breath, he scooped her up in his arms and literally flew to the bedroom. He set them both down at the foot of the bed. She was still holding on to him, and with her other hand she pushed against his chest. He normally liked being the one in control but he allowed her this indulgence. He sat at the foot of the bed and she went down on her knees before him. She pulled at the waistband of his boxers and he lifted up just enough for her to pull them down and off. "Mmmmmm," she hummed. "Eric, you are so beautiful!" She was referring to what was impatiently standing before her between his legs.

She sensuously used her tongue to lick away the precum dripping from the head, which she took into her mouth and laved with her tongue all the way around. Eric hissed again and closed his eyes. He was barely able to restrain himself from putting his hands in her hair and pushing her down. She took her mouth away and he opened his eyes in surprise. She licked down the seam on the underside of his cock and pulled first one, then the other of his balls into her mouth, licking and scraping her teeth lightly over each of them. She nuzzled her cheek against his groin and whispered "Watch me, Eric."

Their eyes locked together, she licked back up the underside again and then took as much of him into her mouth as she could. She would pull him into her throat and hold him there, then slide back out and do it again. She was able to take in most of him, but used her hand to squeeze and stroke the part she couldn't. As Eric watched she reached for his hand, which was gripping his thigh hard enough to bruise, and put it on the back of her head. She wanted him to fuck her mouth. His eyes became predatory and almost glowed as he fisted his hand in her hair and held her still while he pumped and thrust with wild abandon, barely keeping enough control to keep from choking her. Her hands continued to play with his balls and traced the little line back even further. Without warning she pushed her finger into his back entrance and curled it just so. Eric moaned her name loudly and began to thrust harder and faster. She used her free hand to rake her nails down his stomach over his perfect abs and around the base of his cock. She pulled her other finger out of his rear and pushed it back in. This was Eric's undoing. He yelled her name and came hard into the back of her throat, and she swallowed everything he gave her.

Eric continued to thrust, softly, a few more times, riding the waves of his climax as the aftershocks continued. Still holding Sookie by her hair, he pulled her up and crushed his lips to hers, his tongue demanding entrance. She opened for him and their tongues wrestled for dominance, and he won. In a flash, Sookie found herself face down in the middle of the bed, sans panties, her hips in Eric's hands as he pulled her to her knees but held the back of her neck down for a second so she would understand what he wanted her to do. He kicked her knees apart with his own and reached around to find her clit. Using his vampire speed, he vibrated his fingers against her tiny bundle of nerves and she reached an earth-shattering climax in seconds that had her gasping and screaming his name. He slipped a finger inside her and found her soaked and ready, and he buried himself to the hilt in one powerful stroke.

"Eric!" she cried again at the sudden fullness she felt. She loved having him inside her and wiggled her hips hoping he would move. Finally he pulled almost all the way out, and slammed back in, wrenching another cry from her. He did this a few times, holding her hips so hard that he knew he would leave bruises. His fangs were out and he felt predatory. Sookie was his willing prey.

Sookie didn't know why Eric had suddenly gone into "vampire mode," as she called it, but she didn't care. She always liked it when Eric got rough with her. He never hurt her beyond a few bruises, and those he healed afterward. As he continued to thrust, she felt a familiar tension building inside her. She gave over to it and became, for the moment, a purely sexual being. The only reality was Eric, filling her completely. She arched her back more so that she could take him in deeper. He growled in appreciation. As they both built to their heights of ecstasy, Eric suddenly pulled Sookie to his chest and held her there, never missing a beat. He bit his own wrist and offered it to her just as he sank his fangs into her shoulder. She latched on to him and sucked as hard as she could. Eric growled, Sookie moaned, and they both reached an unbelievably strong orgasm at the same time. Then something strange happened. A white light appeared around them and glowed for a second. Then it exploded outward giving both of them what felt like a mild electric shock. This only enhanced what they were feeling and they both climaxed again.

Immediately Eric collapsed on top of Sookie, still inside of her. He started to roll away but she wrapped her arms around behind her and held him there. Eric's dominant nature reared its head again and he took both of her hands in his, pinning them on the mattress, and bit her on the neck. He only pulled a couple mouthfuls of her luscious blood, and then he held her there with his fangs and his hands. In response, Sookie wiggled her hips, sending delightful sensations throughout both of their bodies. Eric growled again and held her still.

Sookie enjoyed the feeling of Eric's body atop hers, especially when he was inside of her like he was now. His dominance of her turned her on, and she hoped he could sense how much. She had never told Eric, but she wanted him to teach her the darker side of sexual play. She'd seen things in the heads of some of the customers at Merlotte's that had shocked her at first. Then curiosity took over and she had delved into their minds further. She didn't know if she would ever be able to approach Eric to tell him, but maybe he could sense it in her reactions to him every time he did something like this.

Eric came out of his lust-induced haze and realized that he was using his fangs to hold Sookie down. He enjoyed it but he didn't want to scare her, so he gently pulled away and licked the wound closed. He would give her his blood to heal it. He could smell that she was extremely aroused even though they both had just climaxed twice within seconds. Perhaps his little angel wasn't so angelic after all. She lay there quietly, relaxed, accepting his dominance of her body. He would explore it in detail, he decided.

He pulled out of her and moved his weight to his elbows, releasing her hands. She lay still until he rolled her over and held her beneath him, again capturing her hands and holding them next to her head. "My Lover," he whispered darkly, "there are many things I can teach you if you are willing." She blushed to the tips of her toes and closed her eyes. He lowered his head and kissed her deeply, leisurely. "Open your eyes, Sookie." He ordered softly. "Rule number one: always look me in the eyes. Never close your eyes or look away from me unless I give you permission. I am the center of your world" Her eyes widened and the ghost of a playful smirk lifted the corners of her mouth. She nodded.

"Want to know a secret?" she whispered back at him. He gave her a fangy smile and nodded. She lifted her head and kissed him, paying great attention to his sensitive fangs. This elicited a growl from him, but she knew she had his attention. "You already are."

Eric thought that nobody had ever said something so sweet to him in his long life. He laid his head down on her chest, nuzzling her neck where he had bitten her. He kissed her there, sending shivers and goosebumps throughout her body. He enjoyed that reaction. "As you are mine," he said solemnly, hardly believing what his own voice had just said. He picked his head back up and gave her a long, slow, gentle kiss. Then he rolled over next to her and tucked her up under his arm. She pressed her body as close to his as she could and they both enjoyed the closeness.

They lay together in silence for several minutes, Eric stroking Sookie's hair and she tracing the muscles on his stomach with her fingertips. Eric broke the silence out of sheer curiosity. "Sookie, do you enjoy it when I get rough with you, dominate you, as I did earlier?" He already knew the answer but felt like asking was the best way to broach the subject.

She blushed again, turning that bright pink color that Eric so enjoyed on her skin. "Well, I, um, aah.." she couldn't hide her embarrassment and buried her face against Eric's side. He grasped her chin and tilted her head up.

"Remember, no hiding your eyes from me," he said seriously.

"Eric, come on!" she pushed his hand away and lay her head down on his chest, facing away from him.

He wasn't putting up with that. Faster than she could blink he had rolled them both over and pinned her beneath him, staring intently into her eyes and waiting for an answer. She stared at him in silence, eyes pleading for him to just drop the subject. She opened her mouth to say something and then closed it several times, still blushing furiously.

"There is nothing to be ashamed of, Sookie," he said, leaning down for a soft kiss. "Experimentation is part of a normal, healthy sex life." That made her blush even more and she turned her head to avoid his eyes. Of course he turned her back to face him. Then he tried a different tactic. "I do not fault you for your lack of experience. In fact, I rather enjoy it. I like knowing that I will be the one to teach you the sensual arts. I like knowing that I am the only man you will share them with." He kissed her again, a deep kiss full of the promise of sinful and delightful things to come.

Sookie lost herself in his kiss. She never failed to marvel at how well he had honed his kissing skill over his lifetime. If she hadn't been so jealous of the women in his past, she would have thanked them for helping him practice. She was running her tongue along his fangs and loving the way he moaned when she did that, when she felt his hands caress her arms all the way down to her wrists, and then pull them over her head. Then she felt him wind something soft around them and bind them together. She tried to break away from the kiss. "Eric, wait a minute! What are you…" She never finished her sentence. His kiss became hard, penetrating, hungry, relentless. He placed his hands on either side of her face to hold her still, and when she tried to bring her hands back down to touch him, she couldn't.

For a second, she panicked and jerked against her bonds. Eric stilled her with his hands and body. "Sssshhh, Sookie. Relax, Lover." He went back to holding her head still with his hands and rested his forehead on hers, looking into her eyes. She was panting and he began to soothe her with slow, deep breaths, sending calm and love through their bond. It was working until a thought came to her and her eyes widened.

"Eric, I'm afraid," she whispered shakily. "The last time you, well…"

He didn't let her finish. Instead he kissed her deeply until he felt her relax again. "I promise," he said, "this will be nothing like that. That was punishment. This is not." Still mildly afraid, she nodded her head. "But this," he indicated the top that she still wore, "has to go." He gave her a fangy grin and ripped the babydoll down the front, then shredded the straps and pulled the garment away from her body. She was left naked, trembling before him. Then he sat up just enough to remove his own shirt and pressed himself against her.

As he ground his crotch against her, she automatically opened her legs to increase the friction. His hardness was teasing her clit in the best way. She pulled against her bonds again, and as she did she bucked her hips against him. The unfamiliar sensation of being tied had started an increasing tightness in her core and a persistent throbbing between her legs. She drew a deep breath and pulled again, starting another wave of arousal that coursed hotly through her body. She was finally able to look confidently at Eric, and she smiled a playful smile. He responded by giving her a look that was wild and predatory, showing her his fangs and making her feel like she might melt.

Eric decided that he would push a little harder. He reached out to his side and found the black scarf that he had brought in earlier. He wound the ends around his hands and pressed it against her eyes, blocking all sight from her. "This will make it easier for you, dear one," he explained. "You will not have to worry about looking into my eyes. You can simply feel."

"OK, Eric, I trust you." She responded softly, and lifted her head so that he could tie it tightly around her eyes. As she lay her head back down, Eric swooped in and kissed her harder than he ever had before. This was a different kind of kiss. It promised no mercy as it dominated her every feeling, every thought. When he finally pulled away, Sookie was breathless.

"I know this will be hard for you, Sookie," Eric explained next, "but I want you to remain completely silent. If you can not do that, I will gag you." The tone of his voice told her that he absolutely meant it. She nodded, and couldn't stop a shiver from running through her entire body. Eric was pleased with this reaction. He positioned himself back on top of her and kissed her again. "I am going to make you feel pleasure the likes of which you have never imagined. I am going to do what I want, and I will not stop, even if you scream for me to stop. I am going to give you something called a safe word. If you are overwhelmed and need this to end, you are to say this word. Otherwise, be silent unless I say otherwise. Understand?" He caressed her face, then her lips, with the back of his hand and waited. After a few seconds, she nodded. "Good. Your safe word is elephant." She couldn't help but giggle at his choice of a word, then stopped when he put his finger firmly on her lips. She stopped giggling but her smile remained. He kissed her again, hard, and then he was gone.

Sookie lay there, suddenly cold at the loss of his body covering hers. Her first instinct was to call to him, but she remembered his instructions and didn't. Time passed and he didn't return. She had no idea how long she'd been lying there and started to get restless. She was just about at the limits of her patience, and about to say the safe word, when he was suddenly there.

Eric had pulled back from her to stand in the doorway. She was beautiful, her pink tongue darting out every so often to lick her lips and her breasts heaving. He was closely monitoring the bond for her reaction. At first she was confused, but after only five minutes he could feel her confusion changing to irritation. She began to pull against the scarves binding her wrists and writhe about on the bed. He was proud of her for not calling out to him. When he knew that she had reached her limit, he climbed back on to the bed.

He took her foot in his hand and kissed her ankle, then rained open-mouthed kisses up her calves. As he did this, he raked his nails gently down her thighs. She was panting and gasping. As he moved his attention to her other ankle and calf, she lifted her leg and offered it to him. He clamped down on both ankles to still her movements. "Be as still as you can." He ordered. "If I want you to move, I will move you." She nodded breathlessly.

He moved up on the bed, lifting her knees over his shoulders and tracing circles on her skin lightly with his fingertips. He moved up her thighs to her sensitive hipbones, which caused her to buck and arch her back. He planted his hands on her hips to hold her still and began to kiss her stomach, her hips, and her thighs, deliberately avoiding the place he knew she most wanted him to touch. He parted her legs and placed light kisses on her inner thighs, finally parting her lower lips with his fingers. He ran his tongue, first lightly, then firmly, all around her folds, teasing and nipping her with his fangs. His fingers caressed her mound, tracing circles around and around but still not touching her nub. He could see that she was grasping at the bindings holding her wrists to the headboard as he continued to stroke and tease her mercilessly.

He continued to kiss and nip at her lower lips as he began to rake his nails lightly up and down her rib cage, causing her to hiss and arch her back again. He spread his fingers and held her firmly down on the mattress until she settled down. His fingers moved up to caress her collarbone and shoulders, moving back down and around her breasts, never touching them.

Sookie was in a frenzy of need. His hands and fingers were doing wonderful things to her body. She realized that not being able to see greatly enhanced her other senses. She wanted so badly to tell him what she wanted, but she was determined to show him that she could do as he told her. It didn't help that every time she moved, he would pin whatever body part down and hold her until she relaxed. If he didn't touch her _there_, or fuck her pretty soon, she knew she wouldn't be able to hold back a scream.

Sensing her need, Eric finally gave her what she wanted. He parted her folds with his fingers and thrust his tongue inside. At the same time he lightly pinched her clit. She reacted so strongly that if he'd been a human, she might have hurt him. She barely stifled a cry by clamping her lips firmly together. He was proud of her. As his tongue thrust in and out and around and around inside of her, he mimicked the swirling motion with his fingers on her clit. She was bucking wildly and he had to restrain her with his forearm across her hips. He sped up his tongue and his fingers gradually until he was moving at vampire speed. He knew that she was close.

Suddenly she stiffened and bucked harder than she ever had, only just stopping herself from screaming his name. As soon as he felt her hot juices flood his tongue, he moved his tongue to lick her nub once and then bit down hard. Sookie didn't know what hit her. As soon as his fangs penetrated her skin and she felt that first pull, she came again harder than the first time. Eric happily drank her delicious blood made richer with the honey of her climax. He could taste both on his tongue and was barely able to stop drinking. He held his fangs inside her for a few seconds, again forcing her to be still with his fangs and his hands on her body. _"This is heaven!"_ he thought to himself. _"She is mine, my angel, for all time! No other shall touch her, ever!"_

Reluctantly, Eric removed his fangs from her and realized that he hadn't paid any attention to her breasts. Rising up over her, he pulled her nipple into his mouth and roughly laved it with his tongue, scraping it with the point of his fang every few seconds. He squeezed and fondled the other breast, rubbing it with his palm until it peaked and then rolling and pinching the little bud between his fingers. She was trying to arch her back to press closer to him but he put both hands firmly above her breasts to push her back. "Be still!" he growled at her.

Sookie was trying so hard to be still and do Eric's bidding, but she wanted more of him, more of his hands and his mouth and his fangs. She wanted to press as closely as she could to him, to give him her body completely. And, she desperately wanted him to fuck her!

Eric pulled her other nipple into his mouth, giving it the same treatment as the first one. He wondered how her breasts would look bound with white silk rope against her tan skin, and vowed that he would try that soon. His legs were on the outside of Sookie's while he held her body still, but then he placed his knee between them, roughly pushing her legs wide apart and holding them there. Still loving and tormenting her breasts, he slid his hand down over her mound, deliberately pressing on her nub. She would have arched into his hand if he hadn't applied pressure to hold her down. The pressure also meant more friction.

He thrust two fingers forcefully inside of her and she gasped. He curled them just so and pumped them in and out just until she began to match his thrusts, then he slowly pulled them out and blazed a wet trail up to her little bundle of nerves. With slippery fingers and vampire speed, he brought her to a hard climax in less than a minute. While she was still shaking with those aftershocks, he kissed a hot trail down her abdomen and locked his lips firmly on her clit, which made her buck frantically against him. He knew she would be ultra-sensitive and would stop him under other circumstances. He plunged three fingers inside of her sheath and began to thrust hard and fast while he licked, sucked, and bit her tiny bud, forcing another mind-numbing orgasm from her. As soon as her walls clenched around his fingers, he turned his head and bit savagely into her thigh. He moaned as he tasted her, even sweeter now full of adrenaline and endorphins from multiple climaxes. He slowed the movements of his hand, using his fingers inside to stretch her for the arrival of his "gracious plenty."

He blazed another trail of hot kisses up her body, stopping to scrape his fangs in and around her belly button, a place where he knew she was ticklish. Sure enough, her muscles clenched and a soft giggle escaped her before she could silence herself. He drew blood and took pleasure in licking and biting all around the sensitive area before moving on up. He stopped long enough to worship each of her breasts and then licked and scraped his fangs all around her collar bone, before moving up to crush her lips with his. His tongue demanded entrance and he dominated the kiss while she sighed in pleasure beneath him.

"You have done well, my angel," he whispered between kisses. "I will reward you in a moment, and you will no longer have to remain silent. Scream as much as you like." He took possession of her lips again and entered her in one powerful thrust, burying himself to the hilt.

She cried out against his lips and he felt her smile. "It's about time, Northman," she whispered into his mouth.

He growled at her and whispered back, "Then far be it from me to deny you!" Then he got to his knees and threw her legs over his shoulders, grabbing her hips and pummeling into her fast and rough. He did not build up to vampire speed as he usually did; he wanted this to last. Sookie writhed against him in ecstasy as he filled her completely. Having been silenced for so long, she was unable to control her moans of pleasure as she gasped his name over and over. When he felt his impending climax he reached down and pinched her clit. That sent her over the edge screaming his name. Quickly he moved over her and sank his fangs into her shoulder, growling savagely. Then he palmed the back of her head and pulled her to him, and she knew exactly what he wanted. She bit his shoulder as hard as she could, surprised to draw blood on the first try. She felt Eric stiffen as he had his good moment, and he removed his fangs long enough to roar in triumph as he shot jet after jet of his seed deep inside her body. Then he bit the same place again and they took each other into them, so close they were almost one.

Eric drew back and licked Sookie's wounds to close and heal them, and cradled her head against him while she did the same for him. He didn't need it because his skin would heal anyway, but he loved the feel of her tongue as she took care of him. Before he laid her head back he gently removed the blindfold. The light in the room was dim, but still she had to blink a couple of times. Then she looked into his eyes and smiled ruefully, a blush staining her cheeks once again. Eric loved it and he moved in for a lingering kiss. As he kissed her, he untied her bindings and unwrapped her wrists.

"Wow!" was all she could think to say as he broke the kiss, stroking her hair back from her forehead tenderly. "That was pretty intense!"

Eric showed her a fangy grin. "I will take that as a compliment!" he said proudly.

She laughed and rolled her eyes. He would never change, but she didn't want him to. He withdrew from her and rolled onto his back, taking first one wrist and then the other, kissing it and massaging it. Then he had her roll on to her stomach so he could massage away the stiffness and soreness that he knew she would have in her arms and shoulders. He was not surprised to hear her snoring softly moments later. It was a compliment to him that he had satisfied her so thoroughly that she relaxed and slept. He knew that he had pushed her tonight and he was proud of her. She had shown great strength for her first time doing something like this. He would continue to teach her to be submissive to him, both in and out of the bedroom. She would be an excellent student; he could tell.

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**I so so appreciate all of your reviews and comments! They keep me going! I'm trying to answer all of you, but if I missed you, please know how grateful I am that you would take the time to comment. Especially those of you who have reviewed more than once! Thank you!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm trying to post a minimum of once a week. I'm sorry to keep you waiting so long! Thank you for sticking with me!**

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**Thank you again to charhamblin, my SVM guru!**

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**WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned! **

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**Charlaine Harris owns these characters. I'm only borrowing them for a little while.**

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**Previous:**

"Wow!" was all she could think to say as he broke the kiss, stroking her hair back from her forehead tenderly. "That was pretty intense!"

Eric showed her a fangy grin. "I will take that as a compliment!" he said proudly.

She laughed and rolled her eyes. He would never change, but she didn't want him to. He withdrew from her and rolled onto his back, taking first one wrist and then the other, kissing it and massaging it. Then he had her roll on to her stomach so he could massage away the stiffness and soreness that he knew she would have in her arms and shoulders. He was not surprised to hear her snoring softly moments later. It was a compliment to him that he had satisfied her so thoroughly that she relaxed and slept. He knew that he had pushed her tonight and he was proud of her. She had shown great strength for her first time doing something like this. He would continue to teach her to be submissive to him, both in and out of the bedroom. She would be an excellent student; he could tell.

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**Chapter 7: The Chosen One**

Eric was lying next to Sookie, propped up on one elbow while he lightly stroked her back with his fingertips. He was glad that she'd dropped off to sleep. She'd been through a lot over the past few days and nights. If his heart was still beating, it would have swelled with love and pride for her. He was thinking about what they had done earlier. It had been like a dream come true to discover that she had a taste for the darker side of passion, just as he did. He wondered how far he could go before she couldn't handle any more.

He was thinking about the first night he had brought her here, how he had punished her so brutally. Now he knew that she didn't deserve what he'd done. He regretted it. He hated the fact that what he had done had traumatized her, making her afraid when he had tied her hands with the intention of causing her pleasure, not pain. He wished he could glamour away the memory. The fact that she'd quickly recovered from her fear said a lot about her inner strength.

He vowed to himself that he would never again punish her for anything while he was angry. He would have to discipline not only her, but himself. He knew of no other way to be in a relationship with a woman. He knew what was out there; Sookie didn't. He knew how lucky he was. If he hadn't been angry and snatched her up away from her home that night, she might be dead now. That was too close of a call! Beyond the bedroom play, his expected dominance over her had more to do with survival than ego. If anything happened to her, he doubted that he would be strong enough not to meet the sun soon after. He was worried now. If vampires could get headaches, he would have one hell of a whopper!

He was also angry. That damn fairy Niall had promised to call Eric again when he could, or more likely would, tell him more about Sookie's situation. The Fae world was mysterious. Fae were known to be strong and loyal, but also mischievous and tricky. Eric hadn't had to deal with any of them directly in several hundred years. He remembered the last time war had broken out between the Fae and the Vampires. It had been impossible for other supernatural races not to be affected by it. Even humans had felt the effects in small ways. He sincerely hoped that whatever was brewing around his Sookie was not going to cause another war. The thought made him snarl and his fangs ran out. She belonged to him! He would not allow harm to come to her, and anyone who tried to take her away from him would die a slow and painful death. Eric had tortured beings thousands of times. He was good at it, and he enjoyed it.

Sookie began to stir. She rolled onto her side and smiled a sleepy smile up at Eric. "Sorry," she said softly. "I guess I can't keep up with you." She snuggled closer and put an arm around his waist, rubbing her cheek against his bare chest. "Mmmm, Eric, you smell so good! And you feel so good!" She held him tighter and threw a leg over his, wanting to be as close as possible. The coolness of his body was a comfort to her.

She had caught Eric by surprise and his fangs were still showing. He had a dangerous look in his eyes, which actually glowed a bit in the dim light. He had only cursorily returned her embrace. When she finally looked up at his face with eyes cleared of the fog of sleep, she couldn't help but notice it.

"Eric, what's wrong?" She was immediately alarmed. She now felt the anger he felt, through their bond. "Has something else happened?" Her eyes were wide and frightened, and she sat up to face him.

With difficulty, he retracted his fangs. His eyes warmed and he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "It is nothing, Lover," he promised. "Nothing new. I am simply angry about what has happened."

Always the self-doubter, Sookie took that to mean that she was inconveniencing him. She looked down at her hands, which were clasped in her lap, and said "You don't have to do this for me. I'm sorry that I'm keeping you away from Fangtasia and the other things you normally do." A single teardrop fell onto her hands. She had gone from blissfully happy to insecure and sad in ten seconds flat. Eric blamed himself.

Already in an angry mood, he grabbed her upper arms and shook her, once, to get her attention. "Look at me, Sookie!" He ordered in his no-nonsense voice. Very slowly, she raised her tear-filled eyes to look at him. "There is nothing, _nothing_ more important in this world to me than you! If I did not _want_ to do this, do you think there is anyone, or anything, that could make me do it?" When she hesitated, he barked, "Answer me!"

She jumped, unable to understand why he was reacting so strongly. She had no way of knowing what he'd been thinking about right before she woke, so she thought she had caused his temper. She stammered, "I-I-I'm.." He was scaring her and she cringed.

Regretting his outburst, he pulled her to him, ignoring the fact that she mildly resisted. "Please, do not apologize to me again, Sookie." He said in a softer voice. "I am not angry at you. You have done nothing wrong. You are not keeping me from anything. Pam is running Fangtasia, and I have had no official Sheriff's duties that required my physical presence." He rubbed her back firmly as though he were trying to keep her warm. Then he lifted her face to his and kissed her softly. "There is no place else that I would rather be, and I am sorry that I snapped at you."

Her arms went back around his waist and she squeezed him tightly. "As long as you're sure about that, Eric. I don't want to be a burden."

He laughed at that, trying to lighten the mood. "Burden, humph! You are defiant, willful, stubborn, and too independent for your own good. You are also the most beautiful, sexy, _bratty_ woman I have ever met!" He pushed her down on the mattress, pinning her legs with his own and taking her wrists in one of his hands. Then he began to tickle her mercilessly with his free hand while playfully nipping at her with his fangs, which had clicked down into place as soon as he was on top of her.

Giggling wildly, Sookie squirmed, trying in vain to get out from under him. "Eric, _stop it!_" she squealed, not really meaning it. She loved her playful Eric and knew her struggles and screams were actually encouraging him to continue. He was a predator, after all. A huge, blond, blue-eyed, muscular, sexy Viking God of a predator. "Oh!" She suddenly cried out as she felt him shift his position, getting between her legs and burying himself inside her to the hilt.

All giggling and laughing stopped as they shared a heart-stopping, deep, sensuously long kiss. When Sookie had to come up for air, she looked into Eric's eyes and they were still wild. He was also still grinning, looking very sinister with his fangs showing, as he pulled her arms over her head and held them there. He pulled almost all the way out, and slammed back into her. She cried out again, feeling pleasure mingled with pain. And he did it again, and again, slowly, until finally she was squirming and bucking and trying to pull him into her deeper.

Eric was making a point. "You are mine, Sookie. _Mine_!" he emphasized that by slamming back into her again. "I will keep you _safe_." Another slam. "Because I _want_ to." Slam. "Not because I _have_ to." Slam. "Look at me, Sookie." Slam. She did, her eyes dark with need and breathing heavily. "And _also_." Slam. "Because I love you." Then he kissed her so tenderly that she felt it in every last molecule of her body.

He stopped playing and got down to business, but now he was making love to her. Their lips parted only long enough for her to breathe. They were lost in each other. Eric held himself back until he felt, through their bond, that she was ready. He touched his forehead to hers and they exchanged a meaningful look. Then Eric ever-so-gently pierced her neck with his fangs. Sookie couldn't be gentle if she wanted to draw blood, and she felt Eric twitch and moan as she broke his skin with her teeth. As soon as they tasted each other's blood, they both exploded in the most immense climax they had ever shared. The same white light that had happened before glowed around them for an instant, but they never saw it because their eyes were closed. But they did feel it when it again exploded outward, causing them both to come again. Their eyes shot open and they abandoned their sucking to share a wild, deep, hungry kiss, tasting each other's blood. When Sookie needed to breathe again, they broke apart and Eric closed the wounds he'd made on her neck. They had continued to bleed throughout the kiss, but Eric licked her clean, not wanting to waste a drop.

Eric propped himself up on his elbows, still inside her. Sookie was breathing heavy. "Did it just happen again?" she asked, wonder in her voice.

He nodded. "I think so."

"What is it, Eric?" she wanted to know. As far as Sookie was concerned, Eric knew everything.

He shook his head. "I have no idea, My Love."

She stared at him, open-mouthed and suddenly afraid. "Do you think it can hurt us?" her voice was higher-pitched in alarm.

Always the logical thinker, Eric shook his head again. "I do not think so, but I do not know for sure. We do not seem to have suffered anything, unpleasant…" and he grinned, reminded of the fact that it always made them come twice.

Sookie blushed, knowing exactly what he meant. "But who can we ask? Is there anybody?"

Eric had to think about it. "Perhaps Dr. Ludwig may know something. I will call her." He kissed her before pulling out of her and going to get his cell phone from the office, where he had left it. He was dismayed to find that it was dead. Coming back into the room, he noticed that Sookie had sat up and was leaning against the headboard. Was it because he hadn't given her permission to get out of bed? He had to think about that, pleased with the thought. "My phone is dead. I will call her after I charge it." He only had Dr. Ludwig's number on his cell phone, and he mentally chastised himself for not adding it to the address book in his computer as well.

Then Sookie's stomach growled. She put her hand over it and rolled her eyes. It could wait as far as she was concerned. She wanted to talk more to Eric.

He wasn't going to put up with that. "Do you remember your punishment, Sookie?" he tilted his head to the side.

She gave him a dirty look. "Which one?" she snapped.

He smiled but was suddenly all business. "The one where you have to obey my every command."

She rolled her eyes again but then thought better of it. She should act like she was taking it seriously, after all, even though she thought it was ridiculous. "Yes, Eric. What do you want me to do now?" She closed her eyes, waiting for the hammer to fall.

"Get in the shower," he ordered.

She thought he meant that she smelled bad or something, so she started to protest. She stopped when he held up a finger. "I am not finished, Sookie," he said in a sterner version of his no-nonsense voice. When he was sure she was listening, he continued. "I will go upstairs and fix you something to eat, since you do not like the frozen fare that is down here. When I come back, you will eat. You have not been eating well since I brought you here and we need to pay more attention to your needs."

"Why can't I go with you?" she pouted.

His eyes hardened. "Do not question me, Sookie. I think you know the answer to that." His voice was still very stern. "A shower will help you to relax, and by the time you are finished I will be back."

She still wanted to argue with him. "But I don't want to shower without you!"

He definitely liked hearing her say that but didn't show it. At vampire speed, suddenly his face was inches from hers. She would have backed away if she hadn't been leaning against the headboard. His arms on both sides of her prevented her from scooting in either direction. "Do I have to think of another punishment for you, since you find this one so hard to bear? Consider carefully, Sookie. I have a _very_ active imagination." He was all business.

The implied threat wasn't lost on Sookie, and it scared her a little. She thought of what had happened on her first night here and shuddered. Eric enjoyed her reaction. She shook her head. "No, Eric, I'll do what you say. I'm sorry."

Pleased at her acquiescence, he smiled and kissed her lips. "Besides, we can bathe together later if you like." He waggled his eyebrows at her and just like that, he was gone.

"_Him and his vampire speed!"_ she thought irritably.

Reluctantly, Sookie went to "her" chest of drawers and pulled out a pair of lacy black underwear. For the first time, she noticed that the drawer was practically overflowing with panties of every shape and style. There were barely-there thongs, boy shorts, and even cotton hip-huggers, all in her size. She blushed, recalling the fact that Eric liked to rip her underwear off of her whenever he felt so inclined. He had apparently prepared for that little fetish of his.

Pulling open another drawer, she found a soft white pajama set made of soft, almost sheer silky material. It was a pair of long pants and a camisole with a sweetheart neckline. The part that would cover her breasts was made of white lace with ivory-colored material underneath. When worn, it would give the illusion that her breasts were covered only by the sheer lace. Eric must have had a hand in choosing this. The thought of Eric browsing around Victoria's secret made her smile and giggle, but then she thought of the sales women who would probably offer to model his purchases for him. She scowled, wondering at the ferocity of her reaction to just the idea of another woman wearing lingerie for Eric. When had she gotten so possessive? Eric must be really starting to rub off on her, in more ways than one. Taking another look at her clothing choices, she smirked in anticipation of Eric's reaction when he saw the black panties that would definitely show through the white of the pajamas. With that thought, she found a huge, fluffy black towel in the linen closet and stepped into the enormous shower. _"Eric was right again,"_ she thought. _"I _am_ sore and this will feel really good. He is the most thoughtful and attentive man I've ever known."_

In the meantime, Eric had practically flown through the two security doors, up the stairs and out into the main house. He knew his sanctuary was safe but he was uneasy about leaving Sookie alone for any length of time. There was a Nintendo DS on the kitchen counter with a recipe program loaded. He turned it on and flipped through the recipes until he found one he thought he could do. The recipe was for a bacon and cheese omelet.

He had fully stocked his kitchen with food that he knew Sookie liked. In addition to the trip Bobby Burnham had made, Eric had gone to her house one evening while she worked. He'd snooped in her refrigerator and pantry along with her bathroom and bedroom. He had perfect recall, of course. After Sookie had been forced to form a blood bond with him in Rhodes, a plan had begun formulating in the back of his mind. It wasn't long after that he had set the plan into motion. He had remodeled his sanctuary to include bathroom facilities for a human and had installed a wet-bar, full-sized refrigerator and freezer and a microwave in his office. He'd ordered Pam to purchase a full wardrobe in Sookie's size, including shoes, accessories, jewelry, and toiletries. Pam had rolled her eyes at him but had loved the assignment. The night he had risen from his dream remembering everything, he had ordered the necessary food delivered so it would be fresh before flying off to confront, and collect, Sookie. He was taking the choice away from her. She would live with him from now on, whether she liked it or not.

Before he could get started, he heard a noise behind him and knew it could not be Sookie because he had locked the sanctuary's doors behind him. In a flash, he turned around, snarling with fangs bared, to find Niall Brigant leaning against the island. Before he could stop himself, he attacked. Niall simply disappeared, reappearing a few feet away in the dining room. "Is this the way you greet your bonded's family, Vampire?" Niall asked, a trace of amusement in his voice. He was nearly as tall as Eric, with silver hair flowing down his back and piercing eyes. He was dressed in a grey pinstripe suit and an immaculate white shirt with no tie.

Eric did not back down, nor did he attack again. Fangs still showing, he growled "How dare you come into my house without an invitation?"

Niall tilted his head back and laughed. "I believe it is the vampire, not the fairy, who needs to wait for an invitation." Then he sobered and fixed Eric with a level gaze. "We must speak, Eric. I am here to offer you an explanation for the events that have occurred around Sookie."

Eric did not retract his fangs. Instead, he walked to the head of the dining room table and sat down. "Very well," he seethed. "Sit." He gestured to the chair to his right. With that, he leaned back and folded his arms, waiting with a scowl on his face.

After a second's hesitation, Niall took the chair Eric had indicated, and turned it to face Eric. He wasn't sure where to begin, so he began with something Eric already knew. "You've no doubt noticed that Sookie is changing." He began. Then he sighed. "It saddens me greatly to bring you this news. I had hoped that Sookie was not the one." He shook his head.

"What do you mean by that?" Eric asked with only slightly less hostility than he'd displayed before.

Niall began to speak slowly. "There is a legend among the Fae. The legend says that the light and the dark shall bond by the force of life. She who is of the light shall be pure of heart and fair as the sun, and shall bear a hidden mark of love. He who is the dark shall be fearsome to behold. All but she will quake before him. She will bring him into the light and give him back his heart, and his dark force shall be her strength. When his heart is restored they will become one and walk together throughout eternity. By the grace of her light, the world shall unite." He stopped, looking at Eric as though that should explain everything.

Eric looked at Niall like he was crazy. "Sookie's house was burned down in an attempt to kill her, and you come to me reciting poetry? Give me one good reason why I should not drain you dry for this nonsense!" Eric's temper was rising again.

Niall closed his eyes and shook his head. "You can be incredibly thick, Eric. Do you not recognize yourself in that piece of poetry, as you so dismissively call it? Do you not recognize Sookie?" When Eric continued to glare at him, he continued. "You and she have a blood bond, do you not?" Eric nodded, his expression still closed. "Could blood not be called a life force?" Niall was surprised that it was taking Eric so long to comprehend what he was saying.

Eric did comprehend. He had never heard of this legend before, but he had never visited the Fae realm. "Are you telling me that Sookie is somehow expected to stop the fighting among the supernatural forces?" It was Niall's turn to nod. "How can she do that? She is young and naïve. Her heart is tender. I intend to shelter her from the extreme harshness that exists in this world beyond what she already knows."

"Do you think her weak?" Niall wanted to know.

"I do not!" Eric stated emphatically. He couldn't count how many times Sookie had shown tremendous strength. "But she is soft, tender, and loving. I would have her stay that way."

"That is incredibly selfish of you, Eric. Do you realize that?"

"I disagree." Eric challenged Niall.

"Do you fear that it would change her if she became aware of that from which you wish to shelter her? Do you believe that it might reflect badly on yourself?"

"This is not about me," Eric growled at him. "It is about Sookie, and what I must do to keep her safe. Do not think that you can take her from me, Brigant. I will not allow that."

Niall folded his arms and shook his head. "Did you hear nothing of the legend that I revealed to you?" When Eric remained silent, he continued. "It is about the two of you. She will be the one ultimately required to fulfill her destiny, but she can not hope to do it without you by her side."

"How do you know all of this?" Eric suddenly wanted to know. "Why should I believe that it is anything other than utter nonsense spewed by some Fae philosopher a thousand years ago?"

"How old are you, Eric?" Niall asked. Eric did not reply. Niall sighed. "I know that you are somewhere near a thousand years old. I am more than twice your age."

"What does my age have to do with anything?" Eric argued.

"What I am about to reveal to you has never been spoken of outside the Fae realm," Niall told him. "There is another legend, known only to my family. It states that a female born of the Brigant line, one born fair-haired and light-skinned, will be the one to fulfill the destiny of the Chosen One. She will have the 'Essential Spark,' and it will be seen before she reaches the age of ten. She will know the thoughts and secrets of others and will be shunned for it."

The last part made Eric sit up straight, now listening harder than he had been. "You know that Sookie has such a gift, yes?"

"Yes, I have known all her life. I have watched even her own mother and father reject her for it. Tell me, Eric, have you seen every part of my great-granddaughter's body?"

Eric's fangs clicked into place and he snarled. "I will not speak of MY bonded's body to another man, even a relative. Do not push me Brigant, I warn you."

Undaunted, Niall went on. "Has she ever shaved herself bare for you?" Eric remained silent, coiled like a spring about to be let loose. "No? Well I suggest that you bring it up to her. I don't care what you have to tell her. Then perhaps you will be able to describe to me the heart-shaped birthmark she bears in her most intimate area." He leveled Eric with a steady gaze, unfazed by Eric's threatening manner.

Eric had in fact seen the birthmark. Sookie kept her bikini line trimmed because of her sunbathing habit. She left no hair except a tiny line, and that wasn't very sparse. The birthmark in question sat almost out of sight, just above her right labia. Eric had spent a lot of "quality time" in that area. It had been hard to miss. "You are lucky that you are a relative!" Eric snarled. "Otherwise you would be dead. Explain to me how you know of this, now!" He waited.

Niall reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a faded and obviously very old black-and-white photograph. The image was faint, and depicted a little girl with a serious expression. Niall looked at it briefly and laughed to himself. "They never smiled for photographs in those days." He put the photo down on the table and slid it toward Eric, who glanced down for the briefest of seconds before returning his stony gaze to Niall. Niall picked it up again and stuck it in front of Eric's face. "Look at it," he insisted. "Does it remind you of anyone?"

Slightly intrigued, Eric took the photograph and gave it a good look. His eyes widened briefly; he did recognize the image. It looked exactly like Sookie! Eric's perfect recall allowed him to remember the photographs of Sookie as a child that had been prominently displayed all over her family home, which was now gone. But he didn't understand what Niall wanted from him. "There is a resemblance, yes," he stated cautiously. "Who is this child, and what does she have to do with Sookie and me?"

Niall lowered his eyes briefly and actually looked mildly chagrined. He sighed sadly. "In the late 1800's, I took a human lover. Her name is not important to this discussion. She bore me a child, a daughter." He indicated the photograph that Eric was holding. "Her name was Hannah. As she grew, she displayed a remarkable ability. Can you guess what that ability was, Eric?"

"I am losing my patience, Brigant." Eric was only slightly less hostile than he'd been a few moments before. "Stop asking me questions and speak your mind. Sookie is below and I need to return to her."

"I know perfectly well where she is!" Niall snapped at him. "The information I bring you is essential if you are to save her life and help her keep her sanity!" He stood up and walked a few paces away, then turned around and leaned on the kitchen island. "Hannah was a telepath, like Sookie. She bore the same birthmark that Sookie has. She looked _exactly_ like Sookie did as a child. How do you think that happened when my human lover was Hispanic, with dark hair, eyes, and skin?" He paused to let that sink in.

"That legend, the legend of the Chosen One, the one who carries the Essential Spark, has been around since before you or I were born! I did not recognize it in my daughter, but others did. One night, while I was away in the Fae realm, my human family was murdered." Emotion began to seep into his voice, a rare thing for the ancient Faery. "Can you guess how it was done? The doors and windows of the home where they lived were magically sealed, and it was set on fire. They could not escape. That photograph, which was taken just weeks before her death, is the only memento I have of her. She was only eight years old." He looked down at the photo, which was still sitting on the table.

The wheels were turning in Eric's head. Unbeknownst to Sookie, he had sent investigators to her property to gather information about the fire. The team of investigators included a Daemon and two Witches. They had reported back that the scene reeked of Fae magic. They couldn't tell exactly what the spell had been, only that it had been strong. Hearing Niall's account of the deaths of his lover and child struck a chord. He decided not to share the information he had with Niall.

"Is there more to this tale besides the loss of your human family?" Eric wanted to know.

Niall nodded. "I was enraged! I wanted to know who would attack my human family so viciously. Why had they not struck out at me instead? I managed to capture one of the murderers. I tortured him until he was mad with pain and desperation. In his final hours, he screamed at me. He actually gloated about how he had kept the prophecy from being fulfilled. He knew of Hannah's telepathy, her birthmark, and he bragged that her other powers would never come to fruition because she was dead. I ended him." His eyes were narrowed in rage as he remembered. He sat silent for a few minutes, almost seeming to forget that Eric was there.

Finally running out of patience waiting for Niall to say something, Eric asked, "Were there others? Was he working alone?" He wanted to know if Niall knew who was a threat to Sookie now. Whoever that was, Eric would kill him slowly.

Coming back to the present, Niall nodded. "I believe I do know, but I cannot be sure. If Sookie is indeed the Chosen one, she will have the power to stop the warring between the races. There are those who think that the wars should continue, those who think that the Fae are superior to all others and should not mix. I believe that they are led by my nephew Breandan."

Eric jumped up out of his chair, wanting immediate action, revenge. "Where is this Breandan?" he hissed. "He will feel my wrath. I will enjoy peeling the skin from his body before I rip his limbs off one by one."

"I do not know," Niall replied. "He has been in hiding for many years. I do not believe that he did this alone. There are others, fanatics like him who see everything as black and white. I believe them to be responsible for the deaths of Sookie's parents so long ago."

"Another reason for me to seek vengeance," Eric growled. Then another thought struck him. "You say that Sookie will develop new powers. What powers?"

Niall shook his head. "I can not say for sure," he explained. "There are many powers that come naturally to the Fae; teleportation, telekinesis, for example. Sookie is not full Fae and she may not have the same powers. Telepathy is not a Fae trait; it is given to her because of the legend, I believe. What other powers she may develop, I do not know. You heard the cryptic language of the legend. It could be almost anything."

"So, you are telling me that the attempts on Sookie's life were made because of a millennia-old legend that may or may not be true?" Eric wanted to know. Niall opened his mouth to reply, but Eric held up a finger to stop him. "In addition to that, she _might_ develop powers of some kind, and you are unable to tell me, for the most part, what they might be? And finally, if what you told me on the phone is true, Sookie may become moody or unpredictable because of all of this?" He sat back down in his chair and stared at Niall, waiting for an answer.

"There is no _may_ or _may not_, Eric," Niall replied. "This legend, this prophecy, WILL come true. The Council believes it to be true. The Ancient Pythoness herself came to me after Hannah's murder and told me that another would be born to take her place." He leveled a gaze at Eric.

Eric was stunned to hear that. "The Ancient Pythoness herself?" She was the greatest seer in existence, turned Vampire so as not to lose her gift to the world. Her predictions were known to be accurate, and her word was law. He paused, still thinking. "If Sookie is to fulfill this destiny, and will develop unpredictable powers strong enough to unite a warring planet, how am I to keep her in line? You know very well that she is highly prone to running away or acting on the first thing that pops into her head."

Niall smiled and nodded again. "You are very wise to voice your concerns, Eric. Sookie will need your guidance. You must take a firm hand with her, and not allow her to act on her whims. We are both very aware of how young she is." Seeing Eric nod, he steepled his fingers and walked forward, finally resting his hands on the back of the chair that he had vacated earlier. "There is but one who will be immune to Sookie's powers. One against whom she can never lash out or harm physically. One who can bend her to his will and control her outbursts. That person is you, Eric. No matter what powers she develops, she can not use them against you." Then Niall looked pointedly at Eric. "Do not use this knowledge to make her subservient to you. She may be human, but she is your equal. She will still be formidable once she comes into her own. If you take advantage of her now, or force anything upon her, you will lose her love. You are a rare vampire in that I know her love means something to you."

Eric merely arched an eyebrow and continued to stare at Niall, who only shook his head and laughed.

"Say, or don't say, what you will," Niall said. "I know the truth. Your love for her is not a matter of weakness. Only the strongest can love themselves enough to love another. You have an abundance of such strength." He stared confidently into Eric's eyes, knowing he was right. Niall would never freely admit it, but he admired Eric a great deal. He would also never tell Eric that he really _did_ think Eric _was_ the best choice for Sookie to have made. He often wondered if their pairing had somehow been preordained.

Unwilling to confirm or deny anything, or acknowledge the compliment he'd just been paid, Eric had one more question. "You obviously expect me to control and guide Sookie," he began. Niall nodded. "She will develop powers about which I know very little. It would seem that she needs to be able to use them to thwart her enemies. Is she expected to just know what to do? Is there a way that we can get her up to speed once these powers start to appear?"

"That is an excellent question!" Niall smiled, glad that Eric was taking this so seriously. "There will be some things that we can not help her with. As to the unique Fae powers, when the time comes, Claudine will provide her assistance."

"I do not think that is a good idea," Eric argued, shaking his head.

"Why not?" Niall wanted to know.

"I find it very hard to control myself around Claudine," Eric explained. "Her Fae essence is too strong and I will not allow Sookie to be apart from me for any length of time." He set his jaw stubbornly and dared with his eyes for Niall to challenge him.

Niall made a hand gesture as though he were brushing something away. "No matter," he said lightly. "I can provide Claudine with the necessary protection to mask her scent from you. Being so much younger than I, she can only maintain it for a few hours at a time. We will take the necessary precautions to keep her safe while in your presence."

Eric nodded his head firmly. "Is that all you came here to tell me? I must return to Sookie." He realized that he'd been gone for nearly an hour and his manner was abrupt.

"Go back to my great-granddaughter. Keep her happy, and keep her safe. I am grateful to you for watching over her." Niall inclined his head respectfully.

"No thanks are needed," Eric replied brusquely. "She is mine. I will provide everything she needs."

Niall sighed, amused and exasperated by Eric's typical display of vampire possessiveness. Eric would eventually realize that Sookie was not one to be owned. "I will take my leave. You know how to contact me if you must." With another nod from Eric, he disappeared.

Now that he was alone, Eric buried his face in his hands. What was he going to tell Sookie? He knew that she was waiting for him downstairs and would ask questions about why he'd been gone so long. She was also expecting something to eat, a fact that Eric had forgotten about until now. He couldn't worry about trying to cook now; he was too distracted. He had a second cell phone in his ground floor office. It was a disposable cell phone, and if he used it he'd have to throw it away and get a new one. That would be a minor expense and a small inconvenience. Sookie was more than worth it.

Firing up his desktop computer, he looked on line for a restaurant that he'd be able to order from at this hour. He was pleasantly surprised to find a web site that was set up to cater to the humans of vampires, listing all-night services of all kinds that would even deliver. You could look up local services by zip code. Eric was even more shocked to find that there was a 24-hour steak house in his area. He quickly called and ordered filet mignon with all the trimmings including mushroom-butter sauce for the steak and a fully loaded baked potato. He also requested pecan pie a-la-mode, knowing how Sookie missed her Gran's pecan pie. Not wanting to give anybody his address, he scheduled the order for pick-up in ten minutes. He stepped outside the same back door through which he'd brought Sookie the other day and took to the air.

Less than 20 minutes later, Eric was back with a hot meal in an insulated carry-bag that he'd paid extra for. He was anxious to get back to Sookie. Zipping through the hidden door in the house, back down the stairs and through both security doors, he literally flew into the bedroom and found Sookie lying there asleep on top of the covers. His eyes popped out of his head at the sight of the black panties underneath the white filmy pajamas. He felt an urgent need to be close to her, and he carefully set the bag on the floor to climb in behind her.

"Sookie, Lover, I am back," he whispered, sucking her earlobe into his mouth and grazing it with his fangs while he slipped his hand under her top to play with her breasts.

As she woke to the tantalizing sensations his hands and mouth were causing, she rolled onto her back and cupped his cheek, pulling him to her for a lingering kiss. "Mmmmm, Eric, what took you so long? I missed you!"

Eric noticed something slightly amiss, and he grabbed her hand to plant a kiss on the palm, sucking each finger into his mouth and fanging it slightly while staring intently into her eyes. He grinned wickedly, and Sookie blushed to her toes. Her hand smelled deliciously of her womanly juices. He hadn't felt any intense emotions through their bond and wondered how she'd managed to hide it from him. Or, maybe she hadn't finished? Deciding it could wait, he sat them both up and gestured to the bag. "I went out to get you something to eat, My Lover. I am a terrible cook."

She suddenly noticed the tantalizing smell of her dinner, and leaped up eagerly to retrieve the bag. She opened it and took a big whiff. By this time, Eric had gotten up and was standing behind her. She threw her arms around his waist. "Eric! Thank you! It smells so good! Where did you get it this time of night?" She headed into the office to sit at the bar and started pulling out the containers. Eric followed. "Pecan Pie?" she squealed, getting onto her knees on the bar stool, which made her almost as tall as Eric. She planted kisses all over his face and neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Then she dug into her meal with zeal. Eric just sat next to her and enjoyed watching her.

All thoughts of Niall and his revelation had flown out the window as soon as he'd smelled Sookie's arousal on her hand, of all places. He was thinking of how he could play the situation to his advantage. He had never expressly forbidden her to touch herself, but she _had_ been a very naughty girl while he was gone. She'd just handed him a great opportunity, not only to have a little bit of fun with her, but to further his sexual dominance over her.

Besides, this would provide an excellent distraction until he decided just how much of Niall's words he wanted to share with Sookie. She would have to know everything eventually, but only when she was ready. She was still reeling from the shock of losing her childhood home. He didn't want to send her over the edge by talking about some kind of destiny she was supposed to fulfill for people she didn't even know. She was now working on the pecan pie and obviously enjoying every bite. She'd told him that Bill Compton hadn't liked to watch her eat. Eric, on the other hand, was fascinated, and fantasizing about what else she could put in her mouth. Compton was a moron.

Sookie thought this had to be the best meal she had ever eaten. After existing on microwave fare for several days, she was grateful to have something that had actually been cooked right before it was eaten. She was also thinking about what she'd been doing before Eric had come back. After her shower, she had been thinking about, and missing, Eric. She had zoned out for a few minutes, and when she had come back to her mind, she'd been fingering and stroking herself lightly. The first thing she had thought about was Eric. She'd die if he walked in and found her doing something like that! She'd jumped up and gone to wash her hands with the scented body wash from the shower. She'd washed her hands five times, hoping it would be enough. Eric hadn't said anything when he'd come back. He'd played with her fingers, but she was sure he would have made an issue out of it if he'd known. _"Please, don't let him know!"_ she thought desperately. She didn't realize that her plea was far too late.

After finishing every single bite of her wonderful meal, Sookie attacked Eric again with a swarm of kisses to his face, neck, chest, arms, and anything else she could get close to. Then she rushed off to brush her teeth, and washed her hands three more times for good measure. Eric sat on the bed watching her with amusement through the arch between the two rooms. He would make her think she hadn't been caught. He undressed and got under the covers on his side of the bed, and waited.

She smiled when she found him there. He looked harmless enough, if Eric Northman could ever look even slightly harmless. As she started to climb in beside him, he stopped her. "Do you like those pajamas?" he asked, stroking the soft material beneath her breasts.

"I love them!" Her smile got wider. "They are so soft and comfy! You, or I guess Pam, will have to tell me where they came from so I can buy more."

Eric waggled his eyebrows and flashed his wicked fangy grin again. "Then you'd better take them off before I rip them to get to your luscious body!" And faster than she could move, he lunged for her and pulled the top off over her head.

"Eric!" She giggled and started to pull the pants down over her hips. As she did this, he shredded the black panties and threw what was left of them across the room.

When she'd finally stepped out of the pajama pants, he pinned her beneath him, holding her hands captive next to her head. Then he kissed her deeply, hungrily, growling and grinding against her when she paid special attention to his fangs. She automatically opened her legs for him but he didn't push inside of her. Instead, he kissed, licked, nipped, and bit his way down her body until he was poised between her thighs. With that same evil grin, he threw her legs over his shoulders and attacked. He parted her folds with his thumbs and licked her, up, down, and around, deliberately avoiding the area he knew she most wanted him to touch. She moaned and whimpered, arching her back and bucking her hips to give him the message of what he wanted. He used his forearm to hold her down firmly.

Finally, he thrust his tongue inside of her and moved it around and around, while his thumb found her clit and mimicked the movement. Her eyes were closed and her head was thrashing back and forth, and she was trying not to cry out. She struggled against him, so badly wanting to move and frustrated that he wouldn't let her. Then, just when she was about to go over the edge, he stopped. Her eyes opened and she stared at him in dismay. He grinned at her.

"I think we have something to talk about, don't we, Sookie?" He bent his head and licked around her clit, nuzzled her thigh, and reached out to pick up the guilty hand. The hand he had smelled her juices on earlier. He made a big deal out of sniffing and tasting her fingers. Then he looked at her and cocked an eyebrow.

Sookie didn't think she could turn any redder. While Eric licked and played around between her legs a little bit more, deliberately not touching her most sensitive area, she tried to explain. "I missed you, Eric, and aaaagh, oh, God, do that again!" He had fastened his lips onto her clit and sucked for just the tiniest of seconds. She tried to thrust against him but he held her fast.

"I'm listening," he said, inserting two fingers inside of her and pumping them slowly while tormenting her nub with just the lightest of touches. Sookie was whimpering and struggling.

"Eric, this isn't fair!" she cried out.

He scraped his teeth lightly over her little bundle, then fastened his lips on to it and said "Mmmm Hmmm?" This caused her to almost, but not quite, release. In frustration, she tried to pull herself away from him. He laughed and touched it with just the tip of his tongue, adding a third finger inside of her. "Go on." His movements were slow and deliberate, managing to keep her just on the edge.

"Eric, I didn't even, Aaaahhhh! Stop that!" her need was so great that tears were spilling onto her cheeks.

"Stop?" he said softly, blowing cool air onto her hot skin and earning another jerk of her hips. "No, I don't think I will." He ran his tongue around her clit and scraped it lightly with his fang. She cried out again. "I leave you alone for five minutes." Lick. Scrape. "And look what you do without me!" Blow. Scrape.

"But I didn't, Aaahhh! Oh God! Eric!" she needed to move, but he wouldn't let her, so she tried to clamp her thighs closed.

"It does not matter to me whether you finished or not." He removed his fingers from within her and firmly pushed her legs apart as wide as they would go. When she tried to close them again, he growled. "If you know what's good for you, leave them!" He returned to tormenting her sensitive flesh, his forearm back across her hips holding her still.

Sookie was fast becoming desperate for release, and it was so hard to hold her legs apart while he was teasing her. "Why is this such a big deal? Aaaaahhhgh! Oooohhhh! Oh God!" She couldn't help but cry out. "You would have felt it if I'd… Uuungh! Aaaaahhhh! Eric, please!"

He replaced his mouth with his fingers, trailing feather light touches on her sensitive nub, each one designed to pull a scream from her. "I didn't give you permission to touch yourself, did I?" He didn't wait for an answer. "You do NOT…" Lick. "Touch…" Scrape. "Yourself…" Lick. "Without…" Suck. "Permission…" Scrape, bite, lick, blow. "Do I make myself clear?" Touch, lick, scrape, touch, scrape.

She was almost too far gone to make sense of his words. She cried out again and tried to pull away for the hundredth time.

He replaced his mouth, again, with his fingers. "Stop trying to get away," he growled at her, showing his fangs. "You know you can't. If you keep it up, I will tie you down and this will go on until dawn."

She had no idea how far away dawn was, but she just knew that if he didn't let her come, she'd die. She could barely think coherently enough to nod at him. "Eric! Oh, God! Eric, please! Aaaahhhhh!"

Eric knew that she couldn't take much more. Normally he would demand that she look at him, but he would show her mercy in that area. He was sure he was proving his point, and he was about to drive the lesson home. "Sookie? Do you want me to let you come?"

Her eyes widened and she stared at him. "Yes, Eric! Oh, God, please, yes, Eric! Please!" He continued to torture and tease her with his fingers. He knew all the right buttons to push.

"Then you know what you have to do, don't you?" He kept his voice light and conversational.

"No!" she cried out. "I don't know. Please! I'll do anything! What?"

In answer, he reached up and found her hand. He kissed the palm, then the wrist, then each of her fingers. Then he pulled her hand down to touch herself, and stopped what he was doing.

She snatched her hand away. "No!"

"NO?" he pushed his fingers back in to her and started all over again teasing and tormenting her. "I don't think I heard that right. Do you want to come?"

Comprehension dawned in her eyes. In her lust-induced hazy consciousness, she realized that he expected her to finish what she'd started without him. She was mortified, but also desperate for release. When he reached again for her hand, and put it between her legs, she didn't fight him. Very tentatively, she touched her nub. Then she did it again, and stroked it a little bit harder. That was all it took. Her flesh was so sensitive, so on edge, that her tiny, hesitant touch sent her over the edge. Her back arched, her hips bucked, her legs stiffened, and she screamed. "Eric! Eric, oh God, Eric!"

The whole time he had been touching her, he had also been hard and throbbing with his own need. She collapsed back on to the bed, panting and sobbing with relief, and then he was over her, in her, sinking his fangs into her breast to taste the aftermath of her climax. She opened her legs wider and met him thrust for thrust, until she could no longer keep up with his supernatural speed. It was ferocious, rough, Eric pounding her so hard that the bed was bouncing off the wall. He felt her clenching around him and knew she was close, and so was he. He pulled his fangs out of her, licked the wound once, and raised his head to roar as he reached his climax. At the same time he pinched her much-abused clit, taking her along with him. This time the white light was blue, and when it exploded outward they both collapsed and blacked out.

It was only a few seconds later that they both regained their senses. He was on top of her, still inside of her, and they stared at each other in wonder. Neither said anything. Instead Eric dipped his head down to kiss her. This was a slow, deep, and sensual kiss. The kind of kiss you fantasize about but never think you'll have yourself. As they kissed, he was hard inside her again, and he began to thrust, pushing in as deeply as he could.

He decided to make his point again. As they continued to move together, he suddenly slowed and then stopped, poised at her entrance. Sookie moved her hands from his shoulders to his butt, wanting to pull him in. He held himself still above her and fixed her with a stern look. Then he pushed in, hard, to the hilt, and she cried out. And he did it again. When he knew he had her attention, he said his piece. "You are MINE… Your pleasure comes from ME… Your pain comes from ME… If I catch you doing that again… Your punishment will be much worse!" He punctuated each point with a hard, deep, almost painful thrust deep inside of her. He enjoyed using his body to emphasize his expectations and demands in this way. It was why he did it so often with Sookie. To his great satisfaction, she responded well.

Sookie realized that she had offended and possibly hurt Eric by her actions, innocent as they may have been. She raked her nails up his back to his shoulders, then back down over his chest and stomach. Then she reached around to grab his ass again and gave it a squeeze. Eric's eyes were closed; if he'd been a cat, he would have been purring. She reached up to touch his face with both hands, and when she made a motion to pull him to her, he lowered his body so that every part touched, but his weight was still supported on his arms. She ran her fingers through his hair a couple of times, raised her head, and kissed him.

"I love you, Eric. I'm sorry." She whispered.

He smiled at her and they shared another soulful kiss, and then they made love tenderly until they both felt their release. Dawn was on the horizon, and they fell asleep in each other's arms.

Eric's last thought, as he briefly woke and kissed his sleeping Sookie, was that the Faery Breandan would pay, and pay dearly, for hurting his love.

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**Thank you for your reviews! As always, you are the best! Please keep them coming or Eric says he will move back to Sweden and become a farmer... :-K**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Please forgive me for taking so long to update! I had a major case of writer's block. Hope you find this to your liking! :-K**

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**Thanks to my fab beta charhamblin for keeping my facts straight.**

**Charlaine Harris owns these characters. I'm just borrowing them for a little while.**

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**WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned! **

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Previous:

Eric's last thought, as he briefly woke and kissed his sleeping Sookie, was that the Faery Breandan would pay, and pay dearly, for hurting his love.

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**Chapter 8: A Foul Plot Afoot**

Sookie woke suddenly when the ground shook beneath her. She shrieked, sitting bolt upright and, looking around, finally saw Eric's grinning face just inches away as he shook the bed almost hard enough to pull it off the frame. As soon as he knew he had her attention he tackled her around the waist, pushing her on to her back and doing his Dracula impression again. "What. Are. You. Doing?" she cried, indignantly slapping at his chest with her palm with each syllable.

In response he flipped her on to her stomach, holding her hands captive in one of his and swatting her playfully on the butt with the other while snapping at her neck and shoulders with his fangs. "Time to wake up, sleepyhead!" he announced.

"Eric Northman, I am going to kill you!" she yelled, struggling, but the sincerity of that statement was highly suspect the more she giggled.

"Oh, you are scaring me!" he teased. "However will I get back in your good graces?" The hand he'd been using to swat at her behind started wandering.

Sookie sighed softly and breathed "Eric!" as he found the right spot. Then she pulled her knee up toward her chest to give him better access, turning her head to share a lingering kiss with him while he stroked her below. Eric never seemed to care about morning breath and, well, he didn't have any. Squirming, she groaned, "Hold that thought! Human needs!" Eric let go of her and she ran for the bathroom to empty her bladder. She finished and quickly started to brush her teeth. She _did_ care if she smelled less-than-fresh to him.

Eric came up behind her and reached around to cup her breasts, rolling the nipples between his fingers. He watched her curiously. "I am not sure why you are so obsessed with doing this," he gestured to the toothbrush. "You do not need to smell like," and he picked up the tube, reading it, "ice-mint, to please me."

She rolled her eyes. Eric had been a vampire so long that there had been no such thing as toothpaste when he was human. She supposed she should feel lucky that he still had any teeth. Vampires only grew new fangs when they were made, not whole sets of teeth. "Well, it matters to me. I feel gross if I don't do it," she explained. "And besides, if I didn't clean my teeth, they would rot and fall out! How would you like that?" She cocked her head and smirked at him in the mirror.

He enjoyed the way his favorite facial expression seemed to have rubbed off on her. He grinned wickedly, showing his fangs and waggling his eyebrows. "If you were toothless, that could work to my advantage!" He gripped himself meaningfully with one hand, the other still playing with her breast.

She disengaged her chest from his hands and leaned forward to rinse her mouth out. "Jesus Christ, Shepherd of Judea!" she cussed at him. "Is there anything else you think about, Eric?" She laughed, then squealed as he swooped her up into his arms, kissing her lips firmly.

"When you stand naked before me, no," he announced with no shame at all, turning and setting her down in the bathtub.

"What are you up to now?" she asked suspiciously as he bent to turn on the water. She started to step out but he stopped her, stepping in himself and backing her up against the wall.

"I promised you that we would bathe together, Lover," he explained, his hands roaming all over her curves. "I am keeping my promise!" He lifted her under the arms to his height so that he could kiss her again, then settled them both down in the tub facing each other.

Sookie would have liked a cup of coffee so that she would be more mentally prepared for the night, but all thoughts of coffee vanished when he dived under the water and firmly spread her thighs apart. Having a man who didn't need to breathe was really handy sometimes! He attacked her nub with his tongue as he plunged two fingers inside of her and started pumping. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she screamed as he quickly brought her to a climax under the hot water. Then he turned his head and bit deeply into her thigh.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed, surprised. Eric's bites were usually gentle. "Eric, what are you…?" Then she gasped as Eric rose from the water looking like a sculpted god. The sight took her breath away and she briefly wondered if she'd ever tire of gawking at him. Probably not, she decided, before he put that thought right out of her mind.

He surged forward, cupping her face urgently with his big hands and pulling her to him for a long, deep kiss. He held her body close, distracting her with his kiss while he reached behind her and pulled something down from a shelf. She didn't notice what he was doing until he had secured the metal around both of her wrists and she heard the grating sound of the handcuffs locking into place.

Eric smiled with satisfaction as she jumped, pulling back from him now that she realized that her wrists were imprisoned behind her back. "What the hell, Eric?"

He pursued her, placing an arm on each side of her and moving in close, trapping her at the edge of the huge tub. It was actually a full-sized hot tub and had one reclined seat. He had maneuvered Sookie into that seat so that he was nearly lying on top of her. He showed her his fangs, grinning and waggling his eyebrows again. "I am the Sheriff, and you, My Lover, are under arrest." She grinned back as she felt a familiar tightening in her center, accompanied by a tiny sliver of fear and a very prominent throbbing down below.

Before she could say anything he was plundering her lips the way only this ancient Viking could. He slid easily into her and shifted so that he was the one reclining in the tub. This left Sookie leaning against his chest, her legs floating freely in the water and all of her weight centered across his lap. Her sensitive nipples were rubbing against the hair on his chest, sending little lightening bolts straight to her center as his hands held her hips still for his powerful thrusts deep inside of her. She'd never felt anything like it! Her whole being was centered on her core, her nipples coming in a close second. His hands were large enough that his thumbs were taking turns tantalizing and teasing her swollen, needy clit between their bodies.

He gripped her tightly and thrust forcefully, knowing that he would leave bruises on her flesh. Tonight he was determined to mark her as his in a way that his blood wouldn't erase right away. Eric had a sadistic side and it was currently cheering him on knowing that her wrists would be bruised and chafed before he removed his handcuffs, and her hips would bear the marks of his tight grip for days in addition to the deep bruises he had inflicted on her thigh when he'd bitten her earlier.

Sookie was lost in a haze of pure sensation and lust in a way that she only felt when she was completely at Eric's mercy, as she was now. Something about being restrained and controlled by this powerful vampire gave her a feeling of pure instinct that made her reaction to him much more animalistic than it normally was. As soon as Eric broke their kiss she began nipping and biting him, starting at his earlobe, down to his shoulder and back up. Her newly-enhanced sense of smell sent her into overdrive, intoxicated by his nearness and the unique scent of Eric. It didn't help when he ordered, "bite me, Sookie! NOW!" in a raspy voice. As she reached the spot where his neck and shoulder met, the place where he bit her so often, she licked his skin as he always did her and bit savagely into him. She had to do it twice before drawing blood, and as she sucked at his sweet essence she was rewarded by a hiss and a groan from him before he thickened and thrust deeper than he had before as he came violently. He growled savagely and sank his fangs deep into her, wringing an earth-shattering orgasm from her while she still felt his seed shooting deep inside her. They relished each other's blood for several minutes before he licked her wound to close it and she followed suit, his skin closing on its own.

She laid her head on his shoulder and they rested together until the water started to cool. Eric pulled the plug but surprised Sookie when he let it drain and added more hot water. He pulled out of her only long enough to spin her around so that her back was to his chest. Eric never seemed to completely soften, so he easily slid back into her and pulled her back against him, relishing the closeness as she surrounded him with her heat and softness while he surrounded her with his body. Next he grabbed the body wash and soaped up a washcloth, and began gently working it over her skin.

"Eric?" She turned her head to look at him, shaking her chained wrists for emphasis. He had pushed her slightly forward to work on her back.

He chuckled. "No, My Lover, I am not quite finished with you yet," he whispered darkly. "Relax and let me take care of you," he purred into her ear, his breath sending shivers throughout her body while his hands sensuously wrapped themselves around her ribcage, washing her. He knew that in moments she would be begging for his touch elsewhere, but he was determined to avoid any of those areas right now.

She hummed and moaned her pleasure at his touch. "But what about you, Baby? Can't I take care of you too?" She leaned her head back, resting it on his shoulder and turning to kiss him behind his ear. He leaned in, nuzzling her throat.

"Oh, my Sookie," he continued to purr, "you always take excellent care of me." He was soaping her shoulders again, but it was feeling more like a massage than a bath. Eric wasn't immune to the softness of Sookie's skin or the heat she was radiating. He was hardening inside of her, more with every second. It hadn't escaped him that she'd just called him 'Baby.' He was no baby, but he loved the sound of it coming from her lips.

Eric had gently pushed her head forward when he'd started her shoulder massage, and she decided that she was curious tonight. "Will you tell me something Eric?" she asked.

"Anything," he replied, planting soft kisses at the top of her spine and sending a whole new wave of shivers down her back.

"Why do you like to…" and she was suddenly at a loss for words, "do _this_?" she shook her bound wrists again, and then blushed hotly all the way to her toes, glad that she wasn't looking into his eyes. "I mean, well, with me," she continued. "I mean, is it something you always do? With everybody?"

Eric was taken aback for a second at her question. He knew she enjoyed _this_, as she'd chosen to refer to his binding and dominating her, so he wondered what she was getting at. He stroked her arms gently and pulled her back into him, softly kissing and nuzzling her neck and shoulder. "In the first place, My Lover," he told her gently, "There is no _everybody_. There is only you. I told you this before. I have no interest in anyone else. Is this troubling you?"

"No! Eric, no!" she said quickly. "I'm not accusing you of anything! Oh, please just forget I asked. I ruined the mood. I'm sorry!" she pressed tightly against him and rubbed her cheek against his.

"You apologize too much!" he whispered, nipping playfully at her ear. "And you have ruined nothing. I am still very much _in the mood_." He thrust into her to make his point, and she giggled. "But as to this," and he moved his hands down to cover the cuffs, "Yes, I enjoy it very much. I did not do it with many because it involves time, effort, and care, things I did not bother with for the most part, unless I was with someone who was more to me than a feed and fuck."

"Oh," she whispered, smiling softly at the implication of his words.

"Now, with you, specifically," he continued, "I rather like having you bound, helpless, completely at my mercy." He scraped his fangs against her skin a few times to emphasize his dark words. "I find you are less inhibited when relieved of the pressure of wondering what to do with your hands, or eyes, or mouth." He raised two fingers to her lips, pressing against them, demanding entrance. She opened immediately and he slowly slid them in and out while she circled them with her tongue. His hips imitated the movement below. She moaned softly. As he continued the movement with his fingers, he went on. "You are never more completely mine than when I have you this way, when _no_ is not an option." He removed his fingers from her mouth and trailed a slick wet line down her chin, along her collarbone, to her nipple. He began rolling it between his fingers and it obediently peaked for him. He did the same with his other hand on the other side and he began to suck on her neck, never breaking the skin. When he was satisfied that it would leave another mark, he continued, his voice dripping with sex and barely disguised menace. "I can take liberties with you, do things you might otherwise not allow."

Sookie wasn't sure what was hotter, the things he was doing with his hands, the sound of his voice, or the subtle threat in his words. Her eyes were closed, her head lolling wantonly on his shoulder, and she used what little leverage she had to grind into Eric's lap. He was now filling her completely and she only wanted him to MOVE! Then, she jumped, letting out a little scream. Out of nowhere, Eric had produced two little clamps, gold in color with black rubber covering the "jaws," and had clipped one to each of her stiff nipples. "Aaaahhhh, Eric!" She panted for a few seconds, getting used to the mild burning pain while his hands played with them, tugging, pulling, and twisting gently. The pain caused by those tiny little objects sent a jolt of heat directly to her woman's center.

"Shhhhh, be silent for me," he ordered, placing a hand gently over her mouth and holding it there until she nodded. He was very close to her ear as he continued in the same dark voice, "You are mine, and I am going to claim what is mine. I will have all of you. You will hold nothing back, hide nothing from me. Let me feel you as I know you feel me. I will take you as you have never been taken before. This, I promise you." His words caused her to shiver and moan with desire, and he touched his finger to her lips. "Ssssshhhhh…" He kissed and scraped his fangs against her neck again and again, drawing the tiniest amount of blood and then, faster than she could blink, Eric turned her to face him and was pounding into her. She wound her legs tightly around his waist, biting her lips to keep from screaming.

He reached out to pull the plug and flew them from the bathtub into the bedroom, holding her tightly to him, where they landed and soaked the unmade bed. The metal of the handcuffs was digging into Sookie's wrists and adding to the pleasure-pain coming from those two little clips that burned its way directly into the place where Eric was thrusting so powerfully. She was whimpering and panting in time with his thrusts, which came at supernatural speed, trying to obey his order for silence as she felt her release coming on strong.

Eric was holding himself back until he knew that Sookie was about to come. As soon as he felt her walls start to spasm around him, he released both clamps on her nipples, an act that he knew would send blood and sensation back into them suddenly. As she screamed her release, he bit savagely into her breast and laved his tongue around the sensitive nipple while he pinched and twisted the other with his fingers.

Sookie was out of her mind with the strongest orgasm she had ever felt in her life. Her legs turned to jelly and she could only ride out the waves as she felt Eric's seed pumping deep inside her. Her over-sensitized nipple felt every draw of her blood that he took so strongly that it added another wave to her climax. Eric was growling and holding her tight to him, and she could feel his triumphant satisfaction through their bond. Just as Eric pulled his fangs from her breast, the world exploded around them once again, and he bit into the other. They both rode out another huge release before Eric finally let go of her and collapsed on top of her. He quickly rolled to the side so that she wouldn't have to bear his weight, and she whimpered at the loss of contact. He pulled her to him and held her for a few seconds, then reached into the nightstand where he kept the keys to his handcuffs. He rolled Sookie gently to her side and released her aching wrists, and she immediately turned to face him and tightened her arms around his waist. They lay together, embracing, tangled limbs, snarly wet hair and all, for a long time afterward. Both were in awe of what they had just experienced.

She was the first to speak. "Just when I think you can't get any better, you outdo yourself!" she giggled shyly and buried her face in his chest, feeling his satisfaction at her words through their bond. Eric's ego didn't need any more stroking, but this time she felt like he deserved it.

He was tender. "Did I hurt you, Love?" He smoothed her hair back from her face and kissed her forehead.

"Yes, you did," she told him with a mock frown. Seeing his face go from happy to remorseful, she let him off the hook. "It was the best kind of pain, Eric." She smiled and kissed him. Then she looked down and said shyly, "I never knew I would like that kind of thing."

He leered at her and he began to stroke the skin between her breasts. "Pleasure and pain are close cousins, Lover," he purred at her. "Never fear; I have much to teach you!" He waggled his eyebrows.

She had to laugh at that and rolled her eyes. "Eric, you are so full of yourself!"

He was on top of her again in less than a second, fangs fully exposed. "I would rather that you be full of me!" So, he filled her, again, and again, and again…

Some time later, after another lovemaking session where Eric had marked Sookie's other thigh and left two sets of bite marks on her neck, they showered and got dressed in sweats. He put on a T-shirt and she found another cute camisole. She had insisted on tearing the bed apart and washing all the linens in addition to the clothing they had been wearing over the last few days, but was disappointed when Eric showed her a stacked washer and dryer set hidden in a bathroom closet. She'd hoped to be able to go upstairs to do the laundry. Sookie was more and more grateful for the things that Pam had bought for her every day, and she told Eric not to let her forget to mention it.

"You can tell her yourself, in a little while," he said. "She will be here. There are some things we need to discuss."

Sookie couldn't help but be excited. She enjoyed Eric's company but things had been pretty intense between them since she'd been here with him. She looked forward to seeing Pam, whom she hadn't talked to in quite a while. She gave Eric a smile and a hug, but sobered a little when she saw his expression. "Are you going to tell me more about what's going on?" she wanted to know.

"As much as I can," he replied. He really didn't want to break the little bubble that had formed around the two of them but it was necessary. He also needed to break some less-than-pleasant news to her. "My Lover, I know this will be hard, but Bill will also be coming here with Pam."

Her face dropped. "Why is he sticking his nose in my business?" she sneered. Bill Compton had lied to and betrayed her in a very personal way and she didn't like to see him at all. The fact that he'd continued to hover around the fringes of her life professing to still love her and want to protect her had been a constant irritant.

Before he had known the full extent of the danger to Sookie, Eric hadn't welcomed Bill's involvement, nor had he trusted him. Bill had taken it upon himself to do some investigating, but he hadn't realized that Eric's people had been shadowing him the entire time. Eric had suspected that Bill had been conspiring with Madden and DeCastro since the takeover, and had had him followed constantly. Bill had shown no signs of conspiracy with either of them and, knowing of Bill's investigative skills, Eric had reluctantly sent Pam to approach Bill about what he knew. Pam's investigation had unearthed the same information by a different route, but Eric would allow Bill to contribute as long as he didn't try to interfere with Eric and Sookie. Bill would be on very thin ice, however. Eric also wanted to lord his relationship with Sookie over Bill's head. That was why Eric had spent so much time marking her earlier. Bill would know, in no uncertain terms, that Sookie was Eric's.

"Do not worry, Lover," Eric soothed. "I will limit his involvement with you directly. You will not have to see him at all if you do not wish to." He pulled her close and planted a few gentle kisses on top of her head.

She hugged Eric tightly. "Thanks, Baby." There was that word again. Eric smiled. "I think I can handle his sneaky conniving ass myself!" she fixed Eric with a look of determination and grinned slightly.

"That's my girl!" he smiled back, proud of her. No one could ever say that Sookie Stackhouse didn't have a backbone.

Suddenly, Sookie's eyes took on a knowing look. She touched her neck where Eric had bitten her, and looked up at him. "Is that why you…?" she cocked her head to the side.

Eric actually looked sheepish. "Guilty as charged," he said, waiting for her to let him have it.

She surprised him by grinning. "Well then, let's give him a show!" She laughed wickedly. Seeing Eric's look of shock, she explained. "I told you, Eric. I'm proud for you to mark me and I know it means something to other vampires." She took his hand and pulled him into the bathroom, where she pulled her hair up into a high ponytail, exposing her neck. "Think he can see them?" she laughed. She was already wearing a top with very thin straps that left most of her shoulders bare and showed off her ample cleavage. She turned to Eric and indicated the exposed tops of her breasts. "I think you missed a spot! Too bad for you!" She ducked around him and ran, knowing what he would do.

He grinned and took the bait, taking off after her with his vampire speed. She made it halfway across the bedroom when he pounced, growling and baring his fangs. She laughed wildly and struggled, knowing it would excite him more. He pinned her hands and straddled her, then he sank his fangs into the spot she had indicated and sucked hard. He only took a tiny bit of blood. This was more about leaving another mark. When he was satisfied, he kissed her hard, his mouth still bloody. She kissed him back and wrapped her legs around his waist, grinding into him. His hand traveled south and he was about to rip the clothing from her body, when a voice sounded from the other room.

"Do you two think you can stop acting like rabbits for five minutes to come out here and talk to me?" Pam said.

Sookie and Eric looked into each other's eyes, still grinning. "Later," they both said at the same time.

He jumped up and made a show of offering her his hand. "My Lady," he said formally.

"Why, thank you kind sir," she responded, taking his hand. As soon as she was on her feet he threw her on to his back, still grinning. This earned another loud giggle from Sookie. They arrived in the office that way to find Pam leaning against the desk, her eyebrow raised and a smirk on her face. She was shocked by this display of Eric playfully piggy-backing Sookie, having never seen him act that way before with anybody.

Bill was seated on one of the bar stools. The pained look on his face nearly sent Sookie into another fit of giggles, but she managed to keep a straight face. Barely. Sookie ran to Pam and threw her arms around her. "Oh, Pam, I am so glad to see you!" she cried. "Thank you so much for everything you bought for me!" Pam looked at Eric, who nodded, before returning the embrace. Then Sookie turned to Bill, nodded, and said, "Bill."

As Sookie moved back toward Eric, Bill's hand shot out suddenly and grabbed her wrist, looking at the marks there. His eyes widened in horror as he looked quickly over the rest of her, seeing all of the bite marks and bruises. "Sookie! Are you all right?" he exclaimed. "What has he done to you?"

Eric snarled and pulled Sookie back behind him, baring his fangs at Bill, his hands curling into claws. Bill stood up, ready to challenge him. The only thing that stopped Eric was the feeling of Sookie's warm hands moving up his sides, under his shirt. "Eric?" she pleaded in a tiny voice. Eric glared at Bill, fangs still showing, and allowed Sookie to move to his side. She wrapped her arms around Eric's waist and he held her to his side possessively, his arm curled tightly around her shoulders.

Sookie looked up into Eric's eyes with a warm smile, a moment of silent communication between them. He nodded almost imperceptibly. She squared her shoulders and leveled Bill with a disgusted glare. "Bill, Eric and I are married. What we do is none of your business." She paused to let that sink in. Bill's jaw dropped. She touched the bite he'd just made on her breast. "I am proud for him to mark me. It makes me feel safe and keeps other vampires away. It tells the world that I belong to Eric." She squeezed Eric and smiled into his eyes again. "You need to get over whatever ideas you have of getting back together with me. It isn't going to happen. I love Eric and I will _always_ be his. That is never going to change. Do not insult him in front of me again. I think you owe me at least that much respect. Now, are you going to help us or sit there acting like a child?"

Eric could barely contain the feelings of pride and love that he felt for Sookie right then. Even though they were in familiar company, she had looked to him before speaking her mind. Then she had proclaimed Eric's ownership loud and clear, and had acknowledged their pledge as the marriage it truly was. He turned gloating eyes on Bill, who sat silently, looking defeated, and sent as much of his love and pride as he could through the bond to Sookie. She continued to glare at Bill, but her arms tightened around Eric again as she sent her love and trust back.

Then Sookie did something surprising. "I haven't eaten yet tonight, y'all," she explained, digging in the freezer. "Mind if I microwave something, real quick?" Eric and Pam shook their heads, clueless, but Bill just sat there unmoving. Then Eric remembered something that Sookie had told him about Bill. He was barely able to tolerate watching Sookie eat, and had always made her brush her teeth, sometimes more than once, afterward. He'd even given her a little "hygiene kit" to keep in her purse. The microwave dinged, and Sookie dug into whatever it was with zeal, making sure to "mmmmm" and "ahhhh" with every bite. Eric could barely contain his laughter as he watched Bill looking greener and greener. Sookie had made her distaste for what she called "TV Dinners" very clear, but by this display you would think they were her favorite.

Pam also sat silently, looking very smug and thinking that their little telepath had changed since the last time Pam had seen her. The Sookie she knew would have raised hell with Eric for stepping in front of her like that. She wondered what had happened in the last few nights to bring Eric and Sookie so close together. She also wondered what the big deal was about the food, but she couldn't help but notice that it was obviously tormenting Bill. _'You go, girl!'_ she thought.

Then Eric took control of the meeting. He went into Sheriff mode. "Pamela, what do you have to tell me?"

Pam stepped forward. "The fairies who burned Sookie's house are called Lochlan and Naeve. They tried to enlist the help of the Shreveport Weres to track Sookie when they couldn't be sure that they had killed her. Herveaux has reminded me of Sookie's "friend of the pack" status." She paused and looked at Bill, because the next part of the story had been uncovered by him.

Still looking grim but eager to make amends, Bill spoke up. "Sookie, Eric, I apologize for my behavior." Getting a nod from Eric, he continued. "Victor Madden is sniffing around looking for information. He attempted to pay a visit to Sookie without your knowledge, and saw the damage to her property. He has been unable to determine whether she is dead or alive. It is unclear what he hopes to gain from this information."

Eric bristled visibly at the news that Madden had tried to contact Sookie without his permission. This was strictly forbidden by vampire law. "What about DeCastro?" he asked.

"As far as I know, Madden has not contacted DeCastro," Bill replied.

"How do you know any of this, Compton?" Eric wanted to know.

"When Madden saw what had happened on Sookie's property, he came looking for me," Bill answered honestly. "At the time, I myself did not know that Sookie was here, with you, so he must have sensed my distress at the thought that she might have been inside the house." He bowed his head, remembering the pain that had caused him. "And, I assumed that he had not mentioned his visit to you because you were not with him, nor did he inquire about you in any way."

Eric moved away from Sookie and began to pace, thinking out loud. "Madden has made no attempt to contact me at all, and neither has DeCastro. I believe you are correct, Bill, in that Madden has not contacted him. My question is, why?"

"If I may, Master," Pam chimed in. "Perhaps Madden does not want DeCastro to know that he has lost one of the King's most valuable assets." She nodded toward Sookie, who shook her head and rolled her eyes at being considered the "asset" of a Vampire king.

"Sookie," Eric admonished her. "You should take this very seriously. As much as I dislike and do not trust DeCastro, a King's protection is not something to be taken lightly."

"I know, Eric," she replied, keeping her voice even. "But just the other night you told me that I can't trust his protection. Besides, I thought I was your asset, not his."

"You are," he told her. "But I am also considered his asset, which makes everything that is mine, his as well." Eric did not like the thought of belonging to anybody, but he put up with it because he did not want to become a regent himself. But it still bothered him that neither Madden nor DeCastro had tried to contact him. "Pam, you are absolutely sure that there has been no contact from either of them, or any of their retinue?" He asked again.

"No, Master," she said. "Not through any of the official channels, or otherwise. You know that I would have informed you immediately. None who are known to us have been seen or heard from since they left before all of this started."

Eric had taken great pains to investigate Felipe DeCastro and everyone under him, familiarizing himself with the names and faces of every member of their retinue. He had eyes and ears in every part of Area 5 and the surrounding territories, and he'd made sure that they all knew who the vampires and humans belonging to the new King and his court were. He'd had to do this without arousing their suspicion, of course, and in a short time. Now he could only hope that the information he'd gathered had been accurate and complete.

"What about your database, Bill?" he asked. "Have you identified anyone who I may have missed in my own investigation?" Bill had used his exceptional computer skills to compile a Vampire Database listing all known vampires and their associations around the world. It was one of the things that had saved Eric and his area when DeCastro had taken over the state. Area 5 made a lot of money, due in part to Bill's database.

"No, Eric, I haven't turned up anyone you don't know about," Bill said. "But we know that loyalties are always changing, and humans are used and discarded as soon as they are no longer deemed necessary." He gave an apologetic nod to Sookie, the only human in the room.

Pam wanted to interject another thought. "Master, I have another concern." When Eric acknowledged her, she continued. "In time I believe it will become suspicious that you are not present at Fangtasia. The vermin are already complaining about your absence. What if one of the King's emissaries comes looking for you? What am I to say?"

Eric had considered this before but had not come to any conclusions. "What we really need to decide is whether or not we wish it to appear that Sookie is no longer alive." He reached out to take Sookie's hand and pull her close, disliking even the thought of her end. "If I were to continue my activities without missing a beat, however, would that not also be cause for suspicion? She is my bonded. If she were killed, would I not be expected to seek vengeance?" Then another thought occurred to him. "You say that the fairies requested the help of the Weres to track Sookie. I am suspicious of that. If Sookie had somehow escaped the fire on foot, would the fairies themselves not be able to track her? Why would they need Weres? I think they are trying to give us false information, but I do not yet understand their purpose."

"Perhaps they are trying to make us think they 'know' she is alive," Bill suggested. "They may be hoping that we will bring her out into the open if we think our ruse of making her appear to be dead has been found out."

Eric had to admit, Bill had a point. "But if we bring her out into the open, she will be under my protection. I will not leave her side!"

"They do not know you very well if they believe that you will let down your guard," Pam said.

Sookie sat and listened to them discussing her life and safety, and finally she couldn't keep silent. "Eric, do you mind if I say something here?"

Once again pleased that she had asked him, Eric nodded. "Of course, My Lover. We are, after all, discussing you." He smiled warmly at her.

She kissed his cheek, then turned to face Bill and Pam. "You all know that I'm not the type to run from my troubles. I don't like Eric having all this worry for me and staying away from his job to protect me. I love you guys, all of you, and I appreciate what you're doing." She put her hand on Eric's knee and squeezed, sending him her love and trust again through the bond. "I say we just go on with our lives. I'll stay with Eric all the time and we'll keep a low profile. The only way to know how they're gonna come at us is to give them the chance to do it." She shrugged and looked around at all of them.

Eric shook his head. "No, I do not think that is such a good idea," he objected. "We do not know all of the players in this game. What of the King?"

"Sookie has a point," Pam disagreed. "If the King wants something of us, he simply has to request it. He has no reason to hide behind Victor Madden. I do not believe DeCastro has any idea what has happened."

"Then we must assume that Victor is our enemy and treat him with caution," Bill stated the obvious.

Eric briefly considered telling Bill and Pam the information that Niall Brigant had given him, the reason why the fairies were after Sookie. He decided against it, only because he had not yet told Sookie. He knew she would be hurt and upset if he didn't discuss it with her first. "Sookie, I would like to ask a favor of you, if we are to proceed as you wish." Eric knew that he could command Sookie and force her to do his bidding, but he wanted her to feel like she had a choice in this matter.

"Anything, Eric," she said.

"You will not like this, but I do not think that you should go to Bon Temps at all while this trouble is brewing." When she opened her mouth to speak, he put up his hand. "Let me explain before you disagree." He waited for her nod before going on. "Your family and friends, and most especially those who practice law enforcement, will ask questions. They will want you to stay with them or make yourself available for questioning. During the day I want you here, in the sanctuary, with me. It is the only way for me to know that you are completely safe."

Sookie's face fell. She had been hoping to go back to work and resume her old activities. "But Eric, you know I'll go crazy if I can't be around people to practice keeping my shields up. What about my job? Sam…"

Eric cut her off then. "You are not going back to work for the shifter. You can practice your shields at Fangtasia." Sookie looked like she was about to argue, but Eric said "Non-negotiable, Sookie."

Pam stood there waiting for the shit to hit the fan. Sookie would never stand for Eric's taking control of her life this way. She looked back and forth between them, almost eagerly. Sookie was the only person, besides herself, from whom Eric tolerated any backtalk, and Eric often gave in to her. Sookie's eyes narrowed and then she closed them, took several deep breaths, folded her arms and turned away from the group. She said nothing.

Bill was also very surprised to see Sookie apparently giving in to Eric. He wondered again what Eric had done to her. He would be loyal to Eric as his Sheriff, and give everything he had to save Sookie, but if he found out that Eric had hurt her, all bets were off.

Pam clapped her hands together. "And, on that happy note," she said brightly, anxious to give Eric and Sookie some space, "I have better things to do than stand around arguing." She looked meaningfully at Eric and cocked an eyebrow. He glared at her in return.

Bill took the hint and also stood up to go. "Well then," he said, and then left it at that.

Eric tried to regain control of the tension in the room. "Pamela, we will see you tomorrow evening. I trust you will inform me if anything changes."

"Yes, Master," she said, smirking at him. She punched her own code into the security door, and she and Bill left.

Sookie didn't move, and the silence stretched between them. Eric stood, waiting for her to speak. Finally, she did. "When were you going to tell me, Eric?"

"This is part of your punishment, Sookie, to obey my commands. I am commanding you to quit your job."

"Cut the shit, Eric," she spat at him, still facing away.

"What did you just say to me?" He advanced and grabbed her arm, turning her to face him.

She wrenched her arm from his grasp. "I said cut the shit!" she enunciated each word, staring into his eyes. "This isn't part of some punishment you've made up for me! You can't use that excuse every time you tell me to do something I don't want to do."

Knowing that she was on to him, Eric relented. "You are right. It hasn't been about punishment since the first thing I made you do for me." He had quite enjoyed that shower, but didn't let his mind wander away from the present conversation.

"Why don't you just say it then?" she cried. "You're taking over my life. Every part of it. Aren't you?"

He hated that she saw things so negatively. "Sookie, it is no longer _your_ life. It is _our_ life. You made a promise to stay with me! What about what you just said to Pam and Bill?"

"This is what you meant, when you said you want to be the dominant partner in this relationship, isn't it?" She looked at him through eyes threatening to spill over with tears. "I have no choices. The decisions are all yours."

"I _am_ the dominant here," he said for emphasis. "The decisions I make are for _our_ benefit, not my own."

"Then tell me this isn't about your jealousy of my friendship with Sam!" she demanded.

"It is NOT about that!" he stated firmly. "I do not like your continued association with a man who I know desires you, but I did allow you to work for him. That time is over."

"Then will you at least explain it to me?"

"I do not have to explain my decisions, and I expect you to remember that!" he growled. "Besides, I already told you. When I allow you to work, it makes me look weak. If I did not have such a high position of authority it would not matter. You will come to understand this the more you associate with my kind."

"Maybe I don't want to associate with any more of your kind!" she yelled at him. "Did you ever think about that?"

"Sookie, you do not have a choice!" he told her. "WE do not have a choice! As much as I would like to hide you away, keep you safe and sheltered from the harsh realities of Vampire politics, I can not do that! The only thing standing between you and them is me! Surely you can understand this!"

Sookie did understand and realized that she was being childish. She loved Eric and had agreed to make this work for them. She wouldn't go back on that promise. She looked at him and said "How much of my life will you dominate?"

Surprised at the question, he answered truthfully. "All of it." He would have no less. "I am greedy, My Lover. I will be the center of your world, and in return I will give you anything that you desire."

"My freedom?" she needed to know.

"No," he answered truthfully. "I will never let you go."

"Then I guess it's a good thing I don't want you to," she looked into his eyes, an understanding forming between them. To be loved by such a man, such a vampire, as Eric Northman, this was what it took. He demanded nothing less than everything she had to give. In for a penny, in for a pound. That was no joke here.

He sat silently, waiting to hear what she would say next. There was no going back, almost since the very day they had formed the blood bond. Since the very day they had met. She was going to be, and would always be, his. There was nothing for it. It was what it was.

"Eric, I'm trying really hard here. I love you and I want to make this work. I'm gonna need your help. You know I'll fight you on things. I'm not used to being taken care of. I'm used to my independence, and not having to worry about what anybody else thinks when I make a decision. I trust you. Will you show me what it is that you need from me?" She had hurried through her speech, wanting to say all of it and make it sound right. The life she had in Bon Temps had ended with the destruction of her house; she was smart enough to realize that. It was time to step forward into the future, a future with Eric by her side. She reached out to him and he took her hands, pulling her close as she started to cry softly.

Eric didn't like her tears at all but he thought he understood them. It was another step she needed to take before she could fully accept the way things were going to be. She needed to mourn the loss of her old life before she could embrace the new one. She really did belong to him; she just didn't know how fully that was true. If he wanted to kill her or make her disappear tomorrow, he had every right to do it. He wouldn't, of course, but there it was. So he held her, and rocked her, and soon she fell asleep. He carried her to their bed, which neither of them had managed to make yet, and laid down next to her to think.

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I need to turn you on to a brand new story. If you like mine, you'll LOVE this one. It's written by my bud briniava, author of "It Begins" and a few more. I think you'll love it!  
ht tp: / www (DOT) fan fict ion (DOT) net /s/6379829/1/Who_is_Master (FF system even destroys its own URL's so I had to make spaces)

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**Eric relented... He's not moving back to Sweden to become a farmer, thanks to you and your awesome reviews. Thank you so much! I'm trying to answer all of them but it's hard finding time in the day...**

**Due to the overwheling angst over Eric being a dark vampire, Eric has offered to remove his fangs and testicles to please the angry fans. If you disagree, write and change my mind. :-K**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: A double whammy this week! I needed to make it up to you for being so late on the last chapter. Thank you for staying with me! I hope you enjoy this one!**

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Thanks to my fab beta charhamblin for keeping my facts straight.**

**Charlaine Harris owns these characters. I'm just borrowing them for a little while.**

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**WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned! **

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**Chapter 9: Why Is It Always Me?**

Eric knew that Sookie wouldn't sleep long; the evening was still young. He was proud of her for the way she'd conducted herself in the meeting. Just thinking about the way she'd handled Compton, and then tormented him by eating in front of him, made him chuckle. But there were more important things to think about.

Picking up his cell phone from the nightstand, he dialed Dr. Ludwig. "Northman? What can I do for you?" She sounded wary.

"Doctor, I need your advice. There is a situation with Sookie," he explained.

"What did you do to her this time?" the doctor laughed. "That is one strong little lady you have there! How she puts up with you…" she trailed off.

"Yes, that she is," Eric smiled. "Something has been happening, when we are intimate…"

She interrupted him by laughing heartily. "Finally met your match did you, Vampire?" Met with his silence, she sobered immediately. "I can tell you are worried. What is it?"

"Well," he wasn't sure exactly how to say it. "When we reach orgasm, there is a bright light. It is difficult to describe. Normally it is white, but it has also been blue. It seems to explode out of us, and makes us both climax again. Once Sookie lost consciousness." He kept his voice firm and business-like, not wanting to betray how concerned he was. "Are you familiar with this phenomenon?"

Dr. Ludwig paused before speaking, and then she chose her words carefully. "Northman, have you spoken to Niall Brigant recently?"

"Yes, just yesterday in fact," he replied, knowing where this was going.

"Good," she said. "Now, is Sookie with you?"

"Yes"

"Are you at your home?" Dr. Ludwig somehow knew where everybody lived, even though Eric had never revealed the location of his private home to anyone.

"Yes, we are, but I do not think it is…" he started to say.

"I can't discuss this over the phone," she said brusquely. "It can't be overheard. I will be there momentarily." And she hung up.

"Fuck," Eric cursed. He knew that even Dr. Ludwig couldn't penetrate his sanctuary. Should he take the risk of letting Sookie go upstairs? He sighed. He had agreed to go into Fangtasia tomorrow night with Sookie, and going upstairs to talk to the doctor was far less risky than that. He reached out and gently shook her awake.

"Eric?" she said softly, her eyes fluttering open. She frantically looked around until she found his eyes, and then she smiled. "I can't seem to stay awake! Must be because I'm changing my hours so much. I'm not used to sleeping all day." She rolled onto her stomach and put her head on his lap, deliberately rubbing against him. His cock twitched, and he put his hand out to stop her.

Showing her his fangs, he grinned and said "And you called me insatiable!" His grin widened when she blushed. "Come, Lover, we are having more company."

Suddenly wide awake, she sat bolt upright. "Who?" she asked in confused surprise. She couldn't think of anyone else Eric might let into the house.

"While you slept, I called Dr. Ludwig about our little problem." He looked at her meaningfully, watching as her blush deepened.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "OK, well, I guess…" Sookie wasn't sure that she was ready to actually talk about it, but she had asked Eric to call Dr. Ludwig.

"What is the matter, Lover?" Eric wanted to know. "Did we not agree to talk to her about it? Should I send her away?"

"No! Oh no, Eric, not after she came all this way. Where is she?" she asked, looking around.

"My sanctuary is impenetrable," he explained. "She is most likely waiting impatiently upstairs. We must go to her now. Her time is expensive." He laughed.

Sookie's hand flew to her hair, then her clothes. "How do I look?" she asked anxiously.

"Beautiful," he said, leaning down to kiss her lips.

"You always say that," she smiled at him. "Really, Eric, tell me the truth."

"You look as though you have been relaxing at home and received unexpected company," he told her. "Your ponytail is still in place, there are no stray hairs, your clothing is appropriate, and you smell delicious." He stuck his nose into the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply, earning a giggle and a smile.

"Oh, Eric, you say the sweetest things," she said sarcastically, fluttering her eyelashes at him. Then, her eyes widened. "Hey, does this mean I get to go upstairs and see the rest of the house?" She was excited at the prospect.

"If you promise to be very very good." He winked at her and gave a fangy grin.

Sookie rolled her eyes at him, then jumped up and grabbed Eric's hand, pulling him to his feet. "Well come on then! Let's go!"

He allowed her to drag him to the door and put his eye to the scanner while punching in the appropriate code. Once through that door, he had to repeat the process with the next one. Sookie was bouncing impatiently at his side. Finally, they went up the stairs and emerged from the back of a bedroom closet, Eric turning to lock that securely as well. It was very cleverly hidden, Sookie observed. You would never know it was anything but a closet. As they emerged from the bedroom, Sookie was looking around eagerly trying to take in her surroundings, just in case Eric didn't allow her to see the house after the doctor left.

They walked down a short hallway and out into a huge family room. Sookie could see the kitchen through the archway she'd noticed the night she came here. The room was not elaborate or formal; it was comfortable. The walls were sage green, dark but not enough to darken the room. The windows were huge but covered in gorgeous dark maroon shades. There were two wide leather couches in a dark green color, and two armchairs in the same material. They were accented with dark wood that Sookie couldn't identify and throw pillows in a green, maroon, purple, and gold pattern were scattered about on the furniture. Everything was arranged in a comfortable grouping around a huge carved coffee table that reminded Sookie very much of Eric's bed. She wondered if he'd also made the table. There was a beautiful greystone fireplace with a mantle made of the same wood as the table, again carved in elaborate scrollwork. Above the fireplace hung the largest flat-screen TV that Sookie had ever seen. As she stood, taking in her surroundings, Eric went out to the formal living room to retrieve their guest. Sookie was very surprised to see him come back with not only Dr. Ludwig, but her great-grandfather as well.

"Great-grandfather!" she exclaimed happily. She met Eric's eyes briefly before running to give Niall a great big hug. Then she turned to greet Dr. Ludwig with a smile, reminded once again of how much this tiny woman reminded her of a hobbit. "Thank you for coming right away, Doctor," she said warmly, holding out her hand.

"Always a pleasure, young lady," the doctor smiled back, shaking Sookie's hand.

"Come, everyone, sit down and be comfortable," Eric said to the room. Sookie came back to his side and they sat together on one couch. Dr. Ludwig and Niall each took a chair.

"Eric, do we have anything to offer them to drink?" Sookie asked, wanting to be a good hostess. Before Eric could reply, both Dr. Ludwig and Niall said they were fine and didn't need anything.

Dr. Ludwig stood up. "Come here, little girl, and let me look at you," she ordered. Sookie looked at Eric, who nodded, before she obeyed. Sookie sat on the edge of the table while Dr. Ludwig looked in her eyes, ears, down her throat, and took her temperature and blood pressure. Niall and Eric looked on with concerned interest. "Well, my dear, you are healthy. That's good. You're gonna need to be." Then she turned her gaze to Eric. "I know she belongs to you, Northman, but you do realize that these bites will scar." Then she rubbed the chafed areas on Sookie's wrists. "Why do you feel the need to bind her? Has she tried to run from you?"

Sookie jumped up to defend Eric, pulling her wrist back and walking to his side. "He hasn't done anything wrong! He isn't hurting me!" she said firmly, her hand on his shoulder. Eric reached out and wrapped his arms gently around her waist, pulling her into his lap. She kissed his cheek and sent him love and trust, again, through the bond. He responded with love and pride. Sookie felt that it was important to speak for herself. "Some of the things we do are, well, different." She blushed and turned her head to the side, momentarily hiding her face against him. Then she turned and looked both the doctor and Niall straight in the eyes. "I have no reason to want to run from Eric." She put her small hands atop Eric's, and he enfolded them in his.

Eric could feel Sookie's embarrassment at talking about their sex life, so he intervened. "We do not need to explain what we do in private; we are bonded," he stated. "But I will tell you, because of the nature of this visit, that I marked her in this way for a specific purpose. She accepted this of her own free will. We will heal the marks later tonight. She will not be scarred." He squeezed her gently and she kissed his cheek again.

Niall spoke up. "It brings me pleasure to see the loving nature of your relationship. Sookie, I would be very distressed if you were unhappy."

"Thank you, great-grandfather," she said warmly. "I love Eric. You have nothing to worry about." She flooded the bond with her love to make sure that Eric knew she spoke the truth. He responded in kind.

"Now, as to the reason why you called me," Dr. Ludwig stood up and walked to the fireplace, facing the group. "Tell me exactly what happened. I need as many details as you're willing to share." She looked expectantly at Sookie, but Eric spoke first.

"As we reach orgasm, most often together, a white light appears and bursts outward. It disappears with what feels like an explosion or mild electric shock. Then we both climax again. Twice it has been blue, but mostly white." He looked at Sookie, who was looking off into the corner of the room, her face very red. He sent calm and reassurance to her through the bond. She squeezed his hands in response.

"This has happened more than once?" the doctor wanted to know.

"Yes, several times," Eric replied. "Each time varied in intensity." Sookie was looking down at their entwined hands now.

Niall and Dr. Ludwig exchanged a look, and then Niall spoke. "Eric, what have you told Sookie of the situation?"

Eric pulled Sookie back against his chest and rubbed her arms, still sending calm to her through the bond. "Only what I know, that her house was burned by Fae who were trying to kill her." He kept his words vague deliberately, unsure of whether this was the time to reveal everything to Sookie.

Sookie sensed that there was more to tell. "Eric?" she asked sharply, turning to look him in the eyes. "Have you been keeping something from me?" Then she turned to Niall. "Great-Grandfather?"

Niall stood and walked over to Sookie, catching Eric's eyes above her head. He nodded and let go of Sookie, and Niall pulled her to her feet, enfolding her in his embrace. "Sookie, won't you please just call me Grandpa?" he asked. "That is much less formal." He pulled back and held her at arm's length, his hands on her shoulders, regarding her affectionately.

Sookie was not fooled for a minute. "OK, Grandpa," she said suspiciously. "I want to know what y'all are not telling me."

"Sit with your Eric," Niall replied, "and we will explain." Eric reached out and took Sookie's hand, and she perched anxiously on the edge of the couch. When he tried to pull her back against him, she resisted.

Dr. Ludwig spoke next. "About this light, Sookie," she said, "It will not harm you or Eric. You know that you are part Fae. This light is part of your Fae heritage. It is like a shield to you, and can become a powerful weapon. Niall, help me out here." She turned to Niall.

"She is exactly right, Dear One." Niall said, "You have come to the time in your life where your Fae powers will begin to surface. Only this power is unique to you. Thus far, it seems to appear when you are experiencing extremely strong emotions. It is there to protect you and strike out at whoever or whatever is near and causing the emotions."

Sookie was confused. "OK, so you're telling me that when I have an orgasm it triggers a force field of some kind?" Both Niall and Dr. Ludwig nodded. Sookie continued, "This is supposed to protect me from whoever is attacking me?" More nods. "Well, I don't like it. I want it to go away. It will make me afraid to have an orgasm. What if I hurt Eric?" She turned anxiously to Eric and squeezed his knee, this time allowing him to draw her back against him.

"Eric is your bonded lover," Dr. Ludwig explained. "You need him, and you need his blood, to strengthen your powers. Your powers recognize Eric as a part of you. You can not harm him." Then she laughed. "You can have as many orgasms as you want with him. You won't hurt him."

"But if I was with somebody else?" Sookie wanted to know, making sure to flood the bond with love for Eric. She wasn't asking because she wanted to be with other men.

"That light would kill, or at least badly injure, somebody else," Dr. Ludwig assured her. "But your Vampire is safe."

"Over time, you can learn to harness the energy in that light, focus it, and direct it at a target," Niall said.

"But wait a minute!" Sookie exclaimed. "I'm not going to run around having orgasms all over the place, so what good is it?"

Dr. Ludwig laughed heartily. "Priceless, girl!" she smiled at Sookie, making her face look more human than Sookie had ever seen. "As the power grows, you will not need to have an orgasm to make it happen."

"This is all really freaking me out; I want you to know that!" Sookie announced. "I know there's more to it. Tell me." She watched as her bonded, her grandpa, and her doctor all shared a look, and it irritated her. "We are talking about my life here, for God's sake!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "Whatever it is, I have a right to know!" She folded her arms and leveled each one of them with a look that said she would not take 'no' for an answer. Finally, her gaze settled on Eric, and she raised her eyebrows.

Eric smiled confidently at her and sent his pride to her through the bond. She sent back annoyance and expectance. Finally, Niall spoke. "It is my duty to tell you of this, Dear One. Do not be angry at your Bonded. He has not betrayed you." Satisfied that she would receive some answers, Sookie took her place next to Eric and waited. "When you know, I hope you will understand why I waited until your powers started to show before telling you. I had hoped that this would not happen to you." He gave Sookie a gentle, grandfatherly look and continued. "The Fae are proud. Many do not like to share the world with others and think that we should isolate ourselves in our own realm. We have warred with Vampires, Weres, Shifters, Witches, and all other supernatural beings at one time or another. We have waited for the Chosen One, she who would be able to stop the wars and bring us peace." He looked meaningfully at Sookie. "I believe you to be the Chosen One."

The room fell silent. The tension was as thick as pea soup. Finally, Sookie spoke. "Grandpa, you can't be serious. I'm not anybody's chosen one. I'm just a barmaid from Louisiana with a disability." She heard Eric hiss quietly behind her. He hated it when she referred to her telepathy as a disability.

Niall continued, determined now that she believe him. "The legend goes as follows: The light and the dark shall bond by the force of life. She who is of the light shall be pure of heart and fair as the sun, and shall bear a hidden mark of love. He who is the dark shall be fearsome to behold. All but she will quake before him. She will bring him into the light and give him back his heart, and his dark force shall be her strength. When his heart is restored they will become one and walk together throughout eternity. By the grace of her light, the world shall unite." Sookie shook her head, still refusing to believe that this had anything to do with her. "Sookie, you must accept this. You are bonded to a Vampire, one who is of the dark. You have shared his blood, his life force. You bear the birthmark. You do not fear your Vampire when perhaps you should at times. He loves you; you have given him his heart by giving him yours." His voice was almost pleading.

"No, Grandpa, no!" Sookie insisted. "I'm sorry, but this is not me." She allowed Eric to rub her back soothingly, sending her his love and confidence through the bond. She was almost completely shut down.

"There is more, Sookie, that you must know," Niall persisted. "There was one before you who was murdered before she could come of age." He produced the old photograph again and Sookie stared at what appeared to be her own likeness. Niall went on to explain about his human family.

Sookie got up to embrace Niall, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Oh, Grandpa, I am so sorry!"

Niall hugged her back and said "It is all in the past, and now I have you!" He smiled into her eyes and, for the first time, she saw his age and the worries he carried. She smiled at him, squeezed him again, then got up and went back to Eric's side.

"But still, come on! How can it be me, really?" Sookie was being stubborn as usual.

"The Chosen One is to be of my blood," Niall finally told her. "When Hannah was killed, the Ancient Pythoness came before me and told me that another would be born to take her place. And here you are!" He smiled weakly, hoping to allay some of Sookie's fears.

Sookie's eyes became round as saucers. Eric had told her of the Ancient Pythoness, the seer who had been made Vampire to preserve her gift for the world. She had seen the Ancient Pythoness herself, at the summit in Rhodes. If the Ancient Pythoness had foretold, was it really true? She shrank back into Eric's side. "I don't know how to do this!" she cried. "How can I stop a war? This can't be about me!" She was starting to freak out.

Dr. Ludwig had been watching the entire drama unfold with concern. "Sookie, this is a lot for you to take in. I will prescribe something to help you with your nerves." At Eric's look of concern, she told him, "It will not put her to sleep, nor will it affect you. You must be sure that she takes your blood every day in addition to her feeding you. Multiple times if possible. This is very important for her power to develop and grow. Tell me if anything new develops."

Sookie was thinking about her earlier conversation with Eric, and how she had agreed to live by his terms. She wondered how this new revelation would affect his expectations. As if he could read her mind, Niall spoke up. "Dear One, your Vampire is a warrior. You are young and you have not seen what he has seen. He is your protector and he will guide you. You must be as one with him. You must follow his lead. This is very important to your survival and success!"

Sookie looked at Eric, whose eyes were full of love for her, but also determination. "I guess it really is you and me against the world, isn't it?" she asked quietly. He nodded and pulled her to him. She buried her face in his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Eric decided that Sookie had had enough stress. He wanted to talk to her privately now that she was aware of her destiny. He looked at their guests and said, "Is there anything else that we need to know now?" Niall and the doctor shared a look that made him suspicious.

"Let's give this young lady time to absorb everything," said Dr. Ludwig. As if by magic, she pulled a bottle of Xanax with Sookie's name on it out of her bag. She handed it to Eric. "She only needs it if she starts to break down." He nodded and accepted the bottle. With that, Niall and the doctor stood to leave. Eric and Sookie both got up to see them off.

"I will be in contact, Dear One," Niall said, hugging Sookie tightly. "Remember, you are Fae royalty. Be strong." Sookie nodded weakly, looking dazed. Niall and Eric nodded at each other.

"Thank you, Doctor, for coming on such short notice," Eric said.

"My bill will be forthcoming!" she responded with a smile. "Goodbye, and good luck to both of you. I will come at a moment's notice if you need me!" Then the two of them disappeared with a loud POP.

Sookie immediately turned to Eric and threw herself into his arms. She was too shaken to say anything yet, and she didn't cry. He sat down on the couch and pulled her into his lap. They stayed that way for a long time. Finally, she looked into his eyes and said "Is this all really true, Eric?"

"Yes, I believe it is, Love," he smoothed the hair away from her face and kissed her forehead.

"What am I supposed to do?" she wanted to know.

Eric thought it best to change the subject. "Why don't we talk about it later, Lover? Would you still like to see the rest of the house?"

As much as she had been looking forward to coming upstairs and seeing the rest of Eric's lair, Sookie shook her head. "Do you have anything for me to eat in the kitchen?" she wanted to know.

"Yes!" Eric said, eager to show her how attentive he had been to her needs, and hoping to brighten her up. "I believe that I have just what you will require! Stay right here!" He sat her back down on the couch and zipped into the kitchen at Vampire speed. He was back in less than a minute, proudly bearing a huge bowl of Almond Fudge ice cream and a bag of Oreo cookies. He presented them to her with a flourish. "Madame," he said in a French accent.

Sookie couldn't help but laugh. She had been thinking of something more substantial than ice cream and cookies, but she couldn't bear to burst Eric's balloon. "How did you know?" she asked, reaching up to pull him down next to her. She hugged him tightly and kissed him hard. "I love you!" she said.

"And I, you," he replied, leaning in for a deeper kiss. "Now, eat and feel better!" He seemed to think that the answer to one's troubles lay at the bottom of a bowl of ice cream. "Your Witch talked to Pam about how the two of you would sit around and eat these things when you were troubled. She also mentioned a number of movies that you enjoy, but those are downstairs."

"You're so sweet!" she cooed at him.

"Sweet?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I most certainly am NOT sweet! Would you like me to show you how sweet I am not?" He reached out to tickle her just as she was taking a bite of ice cream. It spilled and landed on her cleavage. She scooped it up with her fingers and put it in her mouth, and Eric leaned in to lick what remained.

"Eric, don't!" she cried. "It'll make you sick!" she tried to pull back but he held on and growled at her.

"I am very old, Lover," he explained, looking up into her face. "A few drops will not hurt me." Then he resumed licking until she was squeaky clean. He wanted her, and the evidence of that want was currently threatening to burst out of his jeans. He didn't want to push her for sex when she'd just had her world turned upside down. She had other ideas.

"Payback's a bitch, Baby!" she declared, flipping a small dollop of the ice cream at Eric, where it landed just above the collar of his T-shirt. With a sexy grin, she leaned in and licked it thoroughly away, not stopping until she'd licked all the way up and sucked his earlobe into her mouth. "Mmmmmmmm," she hummed. "Chocolate Viking." Then she dumped another spoonful of the fast-melting ice cream on the back of his neck, where she attacked it again. She heard Eric's fangs snap into place.

"Sookie," Eric growled. "If you do that again, I will not be held responsible for my actions!" She could tell he was dead serious. Slowly, staring defiantly into his eyes, she dripped more ice cream along his collarbone and pulled his shirt down to lick it away.

That was all it took. Eric ripped the camisole from her body and took the spoon from her, dripping a tiny bit on to each nipple before sucking one and then the other into his mouth. The coolness of the ice cream in contrast to the heat of her skin made her shiver, a reaction he enjoyed. Sookie pushed Eric's shirt up and he took it off, throwing it across the room. She followed suit, dripping the chocolate goo all over his chest and licking him clean. She freed him from the confines of his tight jeans and gripped him firmly, her hand moving up and down a few times. Then, with another grin, she dripped ice cream on to his little head and took it in her mouth, humming and moaning as she tasted his unique flavor mixed with chocolate.

Eric threw his head back and moaned. "Gods! Sookie! Stop!" He pulled her up and kissed her deeply, his hands fisted in her hair. She reached down to push his jeans off, and he moved obligingly to let her push them down. She grabbed ahold of his perfect ass and squeezed and kneaded, while her other hand moved up and down on his shaft. He pushed her sweatpants down and, as she kicked them off, destroyed yet another pair of panties. When they were both naked, Eric gently laid Sookie back on the couch.

"Eric," she whispered, "I need you inside me. I need you to make me forget for a while!"

"I can do that," he replied. And he did.

Some time later, after putting the discarded clothes into a pile and washing her dishes in the sink, Sookie took Eric's hand and went back downstairs with him. Now that she knew, she almost wished she didn't. She busied herself with remaking the bed and fussing with the laundry while Eric went to play with his computer in the office. He'd mumbled something about needing to check up on work matters, and Sookie was grateful for the space. It was sometimes hard to think with a sexy hunk of Viking Vampire lurking within eyesight. Eric had persuaded her to take one of Dr. Ludwig's pills and she was grateful for it. If her current state of mind represented a reduction in her anxiety, she would hate to see how she felt without the drug.

Her main thoughts were of Eric. After all her ranting about not wanting to be involved in his "vampire shit," what had she dragged him into? If her grandpa and the doctor were right, Eric was stuck! How was he going to feel about that? Eric took charge of everything. He wouldn't take kindly to having his life neatly arranged around some weird destiny she was supposed to fulfill. What if he balked? What if, after all the trouble he had gone through to get her, he decided that all of this was too much? She had only just come to realize that she needed Eric, and not for protection or safety or guidance. She needed him on a much deeper level. Her heart would break in two without him. He was one half of her whole. She didn't think she could bear it if he walked away.

She stopped what she was doing to think about it. When had it happened? She had fought against him, denied him, done everything she could think of to defy him. Why? Looking back now, it made no sense. She had wanted him, felt a pull to him, from the first time they had met. She had loved him since he had been cursed. She had belonged to him since Rhodes. _Belonged to him_. She had done everything she could think of to fight that, her modern feminine self rebelling against the thought of someone owning her.

But it wasn't Eric's fault, the way Vampires thought. He hadn't asked to be turned. He had lived for over 1000 years thinking like a Vampire, and Vampires owned humans in their eyes. He had approached her as a Vampire would approach a human, but he hadn't treated her the way most Vampires treated their humans. He had kept enough humanity, and respect for her, she now realized, to place her by his side and not beneath his feet. He had the power to do anything he wanted, but he had let her live her life the way she wanted to live it, until it was no longer possible for him to do that. How did she repay him? By screaming at him, hurling all kinds of accusations, fighting, hitting him… Well, all of that was behind her now. She would not bow at his feet; she would keep Sookie Stackhouse intact. But she would no longer fight against Eric. They were a team.

That is, as long as he wasn't planning to walk away from her now that he knew how much trouble she really was.

Eric had slipped into what Sookie referred to as "downtime" in his office. After insisting that she take the pill the doctor had left, he had sensed that she needed to be alone. He'd allowed it, even though he really wanted to make her talk to him and plan their next move. That would have to come later. He carefully monitored the bond, feeling the tsunami of emotions that Sookie was going through right now. He admired her for the way she'd handled herself tonight. First against that fool Compton, and then later when confronted with the full burden of the expectations Niall had placed on her. Even if she really wasn't this "chosen one," as Niall called her, there were Fae who believed that she was. They would not stop pursuing her until their lives were ended. Eric relished the thought of killing them. He didn't know, or care, how many there were. He would stop at nothing to keep his Sookie safe.

Coming out of his trance, Eric began to think like the warrior he was. Using another of his disposable cell phones, he typed to Pam on her disposable, which she always carried with her. He wanted to know where Victor Madden was, and who he had been seen with. Any humans, he wanted brought in for questioning and held in Fangtasia's basement until he could get there the following night. He also wanted to know who the Fae had spoken with in the Shreveport Were pack. He used his own phone to dial Alcide Herveaux, the time be damned.

"Northman? What the fuck?" came the sleepy voice on the other end of the line. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Yes, Herveaux, I do," Eric replied, smiling to himself. "This is about Sookie."

"Oh hell," Alcide responded. "Yeah, I knew you'd be calling! She's with you I s'pose? She all right?"

"She is fine," Eric responded curtly. "I understand you were contacted about tracking her?"

"Yeah," he yawned, but then his voice changed to a more serious tone. "Man and a woman. Crazy motherfuckers. Told us they wanted her naked and wrapped up in duct tape like a mummy."

Eric's fangs came down and he snarled. "Who did they talk to? I want to speak to that person."

"You're talking to him now!" Alcide growled back. "I didn't let on that she's a friend of the pack. I asked them what they wanted with her and they told me it was none of my business. Offered me a lot of money. I told them I had to think about it."

"You did well," Eric praised him. "Can you meet with me at Fangtasia? There is more to this than I can say over the phone. I may need your help."

"When?" Alcide asked.

"Tomorrow. 10:00pm," Eric said. "Is that acceptable?"

"I'll be there," Alcide told him. "And Northman?"

"Yes?"

"I'm doing this for Sookie. I don't give a damn about you. Long as we're clear on that."

"Crystal," Eric responded, hanging up the phone. That was fine with him. Sookie seemed to inspire devotion wherever she went. As long as it was clear that Sookie was his, Eric had no problem with it. Eric wouldn't put marks on Sookie like he'd done tonight for Compton's benefit. He trusted Sookie enough to stand by his side and save any arguments for when they were alone. He really liked this change in his Bonded.

Thinking of the bond, he checked it, and was surprised to feel that Sookie seemed to have come to some sort of decision. That, and she was apprehensive about something. He decided that he'd given her enough space, and went off to find her. She was just smoothing the comforter of their bed when he came up and put his arms around her from behind. She seemed to have sensed his presence; she didn't jump. "Eric," she cried, turning to put her arms around his waist. Eric noticed that something was off about her voice.

"Sookie, what is wrong?" He asked, pulling back and peering down into her eyes. She immediately shifted her gaze. He wouldn't stand for that. He put his hand on her cheek to turn her back to face him. "Tell me." He ordered.

She sat back on the edge of the bed, fiddling with her hands, hoping that tears wouldn't betray her. Of course, as soon as she thought about tears, they came flooding out onto her cheeks. She put up her hands to cover her face. "Eric!" she reached out and pulled him close and he squatted down in front of her.

Eric knew that Sookie had a lot of things to be upset about at the moment, but he didn't know which one of them she was crying about. "Look at me, Lover," he said gently, pulling her hands away from her face and holding them in his. He reached out with his thumbs and smoothed them over her cheeks, wiping the tears away. "Tell me?" This time it was a request.

She took several deep breaths, trying to get herself under control, before she spoke. "Eric, I am so sorry!" she exclaimed. "My life is so fucked up! I wouldn't blame you if you… If you…" she couldn't go on, a new stream of tears running down her cheeks.

He thought he was just starting to see the picture. He took her hands again and then tilted her chin back up so he could see her eyes. He tried to speak gently even though she was infuriating him. "Sookie, what do you think I am going to do? Leave?"

That started a whole new round of sobs, and he pulled her in to his chest. He rocked her for a few minutes before she lifted her head again to talk to him. He could feel her resolve through the bond. "Eric, I only want to say this once because I won't be able to do it twice, OK?" He nodded. "I seem to have dragged you in to some kind of Faery shit. That isn't what you signed up for. I know you don't like anybody dictating your life to you, so if you want to get away, it's fine. I'll deal…" she broke down into sobs again, looking down at her lap.

"Sookie, look at me!" he ordered, shaking her lightly. Slowly, as if she were afraid of what she'd see there, she raised her head to look into his eyes. "You have not dragged me into anything. Our bond is forever, but I do not stay because of the bond. I am here because I want to be here. I want you. I love you. I am not about to walk away! Not now when you need me the most!" She was so beautiful and brave, he thought. How could she think he wouldn't want to be with her?

"Promise me, Eric. Do you promise?" he couldn't stand the fear in her eyes as she went on. "Because I can't lose you again. I need you, Eric! I can't be without you! I love you so much! I can't lose you!" She was frantic at the thought of losing him.

He moved to sit next to her on the bed, then slid across and lay down, pulling her with him. He drew her into his embrace and folded himself protectively around her. "I am not going anywhere, Lover. I promise. I will not let anything happen to you, or to me." He felt her nodding against his chest, one hand curling into the hair on his chest, the other holding him tightly around the waist. His nearness seemed to calm her, but he sent soothing feelings along with his love through the bond. He felt her trust in him, and knew that he could not fail.

As Sookie lay in his arms, finally asleep, he thought, he pricked his finger with his fang and rubbed his blood into each of the bite marks he'd made on her neck and chest. They healed instantly. She felt what she was doing and grabbed his hand. "What are you doing, Eric?" she asked, alarmed. "They mark me as yours! I want everybody to know I'm yours!"

"Lover, I marked you for Compton's benefit," he told her. "As gratified as I am that you are proud of it, I will not scar you like some common fangbanger. Any supe can smell my blood in you, among other things. You do not need bite marks."

"OK, Eric, if you say so…" she was still unsure, and he could tell.

"I am not doing it so that I can discard you, Sookie," he said. "You are not getting rid of me that easily!" he tried to add a bit of humor to their too-tense night. She didn't laugh. Instead she clutched him tighter. "Go to sleep, Lover," he ordered softly. "You have had a long night. I will be here when you wake. I am not going anywhere." He sent more love and calm through their bond. This time it seemed to work. She was asleep in minutes.

As soon as he knew she would not wake, Eric got up and left the room. He went into a room that he had not yet shown Sookie. It was located behind a secret panel concealed by a bookshelf in his office. Six 42" flat screen monitors dominated the room, along with a computer server and several controls. There was a microphone for speaking to anyone located at strategic places throughout the property. He flipped through the views offered by many cameras around the property's perimeters. There was 24/7 recorded surveillance. A red light was flashing, indicating something unusual along the back fenceline. He switched to that view and could see several humans dressed in black. They were huddling there next to a couple of large duffle bags. His cameras were silent and invisible, so they had no way of knowing that they were being watched. He flipped a switch, turning on the audio feed.

"… got to get to her somehow during daylight." One of the thugs was saying.

"Do we even know she's in there?" another one asked. "This vamp is big-time! He aint gonna like us breaking in"

"You fucking chicken-shit bastards," growled a new voice, obviously that of a Were. "He aint gonna know anybody was ever there."

Eric had heard enough. He took out his cell and dialed Pam. She answered immediately. "Eric?"

"Pam, there are Weres along the perimeter of my property. I believe they are looking for Sookie. Locate them and keep them detained. I will question them tomorrow."

"Oooohhhh, can I play with them just a little bit?" Pam wanted to know.

"Do not kill them, Pamela," he ordered. "They must be able to talk to me. Otherwise do as you wish." He smiled, his fangs fully extended. He could just imagine Pam licking her fangs on the other end of the line.

"As you wish, Master," she cooed in delight. They hung up.

"Eric?" came Sookie's voice from the door. She stood there taking in the room's equipment.

"Sookie, how long have you been standing there?" Eric wondered how he hadn't felt her through the bond.

"Long enough," she told him, her voice icy. "Who are they?"

"I do not know," he replied, reaching his arms out to her. She came to him and he arranged her on his lap.

"Eric, you can't lie to me!" she said firmly.

He knew he was caught. "I didn't want to frighten you, Lover. That is all."

"I'm not here to fight with you, Eric, but I want to know who's after me!"

He sighed and relented. "Victor Madden seems to be involved," he told her.

She nodded, taking a deep breath. "Why does that not surprise me?" She laughed lightly. Victor Madden had made no secret of his interest in her. He repulsed her. She didn't trust him one bit. "What about Felipe?" she wanted to know.

"We believe that the King is not involved, yet," Eric said simply.

"So is it just Victor then?" Sookie asked, surprisingly calm.

"No, Lover," he responded. "There are faeries who also seek you. We do not know yet whether they are involved with Victor, or if he is just trying to be opportunistic. Either way, the Fae are a danger to you."

"My Grandpa said as much," she said sadly, looking down. "Eric, do you think we will ever have a normal life, when nobody is after us?"

"With my position, Sookie, I doubt it," Eric answered truthfully. He lifted her chin, wanting to see her eyes. She surprised him, her blue eyes clear and strong with no sign of fear.

"Then we just have to be tougher than them, and smarter!" she stated firmly.

Eric had never been more proud of Sookie. He kissed her hard and hugged her almost too tightly. "You never fail to surprise me, Lover!" he said approvingly.

"I know," she said, laughing again. "Now, are you going to show me how all this stuff works? It's kinda cool!"

He spent the next hour showing Sookie just how extensive his security system was. She was impressed, and confused. All too soon, he felt the impending dawn by the way it was pulling on his mind. He would have to rest soon, and he told her that.

"What, I suppose you want a quickie now, don't you?" Sookie asked playfully, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

The thought hadn't entered his mind at all. "What did you have in mind, Lover?" he replied, his fangs clicking solidly into place.

She leaned forward and kissed him thoroughly, tasting one, then the other of his fangs, with her tongue, and allowing them to pierce her bottom lip. Eric groaned and sucked at the tiny wound, hardening instantly. Then, Sookie pulled away from him. She made a show out of yawning very big. "I'm too tired anyway," she teased him. "I guess you'll just have to wait until tonight!"

As she said 'until tonight,' she heard Eric start to growl, and he got that scary predatory look in his eyes that she loved so much. She managed to slip out of his grasp and ran from him, knowing she wouldn't get far. True to his nature, he caught her around the waist before she was out of the room. This time, though, he kept going, hurtling them at breakneck speed toward the bedroom, where he planted her on the bed and landed solidly on top of her. She had barely had time to summon a proper scream for his benefit before his lips descended on hers, his tongue forcing its way inside. He held her hands above her head and slid forcefully into her. This was exactly what she had wanted and she thrust her hips against him, wrapping her legs around his waist and moaning with pleasure.

Eric knew that he'd been baited and wasn't about to let Sookie take charge. He pushed himself inside her as far as he could go, still plundering her mouth with his own, and stopped. He could summon a great deal of control when he needed to. It took her a few seconds to realize that he wasn't moving and she tried to grind her hips against him to get him started again. His weight on top of her held her body still, and she growled in frustration. He lifted his face just inches of hers, grinning, showing her his fangs.

"Something wrong, Lover?" he asked casually, turning his head to kiss from her ear, down her throat, to her collarbone, along her shoulder, and back. She shivered and started to say something, but he stopped her by kissing her deeply, his mouth and tongue lingering and leaving her breathless. He pulled back just a tiny bit and shoved in deeper. "Is that what you want, my greedy girl?" he whispered.

"Eric, baby, please!" she whispered back, trying to wiggle enough to drive him crazy and make him move again.

"Please what, Lover?" He kissed her again, backing off and pushing in deep again, just once. "What do you want? Tell me!" his whispered demands were driving her crazy with need.

"Move, Eric, I need you to move, please?" She ground against him as much as she could, since his weight was still holding her.

"Move how?" He pretended not to understand. "Do you want me to stop?" He made as if to slide out of her, but she stopped him by tightening her legs around his waist. He liked making Sookie talk dirty to him because he knew the words were hard for her to say. "What do you want me to do to you, Sookie?" Another deep, lingering kiss.

Sookie knew exactly what he wanted, and she both loved and hated him for it. So she gave it to him. "Fuck me, Eric. Fuck me deep. Fuck me hard. Fuck me senseless. I don't care; just fuck me, dammit!" She moved against him again to illustrate her point.

He grinned triumphantly. "As my lady wishes!" He flashed his fangs again and started moving. He took her hard, and deep, and fast, just as she'd asked him to. As soon as she screamed her release, he bit into her breast, just above the nipple. She screamed again, and as he took her blood, he came hard. The white light burst out from them, but this time they weren't afraid of it. They screamed together as it made them both come again, and then it burst outward in a sea of blue sparks.

Eric gentled his thrusts then, knowing that he would have hurt a lesser woman. As he tenderly licked the wounds he'd made on her breast, Sookie lay dazed beneath him in a state of bliss. He had never seen anything more beautiful. As long as he lived, he knew he would never see anything more wondrous than the sight of his Lover, his Bonded, sated and delirious with pleasure he had given her. The possessive beast in him was purring at the sight. Shifting his weight on to his forearms so that he wouldn't crush her, he lay his head down on her chest to listen to hear her heartbeat. "My Lover, this is my favorite sound in the world, and there is nothing more glorious than you." He said honestly.

"You're not so bad yourself, there," she said, playfully ruffling his hair now that he'd let go of her hands. She embraced him, holding him to her breast, loving him.

"Take my blood, Sookie," he said suddenly, urgently. "The doctor said you need my blood to be strong. I want you strong when we go to Fangtasia." He didn't know why, but he was suddenly determined.

"What?" She had been half asleep.

"Now, Sookie, before I go to rest!" He was almost frantic as he bit into his wrist.

"Eric, baby, calm down! OK!" She held it to her mouth and sucked. As she did so, he hardened again inside her and came after just a few thrusts. This seemed to make him feel better, and she wrapped both arms around him and held him tightly as he put his head back down to listen to her heart.

Reluctantly, Eric pulled out and rolled to her side, yanking back the newly-made bed linens to slide beneath. He pulled her to him and spooned his body protectively around her from behind. She scooted as close to him as she could get and held his arms tightly. "Sookie, will you do something for me?" he asked softly. He was thinking of the people out on the edges of the property.

"Anything, Baby," she promised.

"If you wake before me, stay here with me?" he asked. "I want your eyes to be the first thing I see when I wake."

How could she deny a request like that? "Of course, Eric! I'll be right here! I promise."

Feeling very sure of their love for each other, but very uncertain about the future, they drifted off to sleep.

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**I have so appreciated your thoughts and reviews. They make me feel very humble.**

**Now, Eric has another message for you. He says thank you for letting him keep his fangs and testicles. They are very valuable to him.**

**However, he wants you to keep the reviews coming. He says he went to Alaska recently, and liked it very much. So much, in fact, that he wants to stay there and become an eskimo, fur parka, whale blubber, and all. Please review, and help me keep him here!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: We are really on a roll this week! Thank you for staying along for the ride! As always, thank you so so so much for your reviews and comments. Some of you may not like me very much after this chapter, but Eric and Sookie were very lovey and close in the past few. It was time to shake the tree.**

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**First and foremost, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my partner in crime and most awesome beta charhamblin. This chapter is for you, since you gave me the idea! I'm sending Eric over to visit because you have been very very bad... :-K**

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**WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned! **

**!DOUBLE WARNING! This chapter is very very dark. It contains dark themes, language, and ESN more so than the others. If you are uncomfortable with that, please stop reading now. You have been warned again.**

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Charlaine Harris owns all of these characters. I am just borrowing them for a little while.

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Sookie was very excited about going to Fangtasia with Eric. After she showered and drank her coffee, she put on a dark blue dress that came to mid-thigh and hugged her curves, with cap sleeves and a deep V front and back, all the way down to her waist. The V was covered by sheer dark blue lace. Sookie called it "sexy but modest." Eric only laughed and said that she looked good in anything, or nothing at all. That was Eric.

Walking into the garage, Eric took Sookie's hand and then pulled her against him. "My Lover, I have not forgotten the significance of tonight," he said cryptically.

"What do you mean, Eric?" Sookie couldn't be sure that Eric was talking about what she was thinking. She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a flirtatious smile.

"Do not play coy with me," he responded, letting his fangs drop. "I can feel how excited you are." He bent down and playfully nipped at her neck.

She giggled and raised her shoulder, trying to stop him from tickling her with his fangs. "Eric!" she laughed. "How do you know I'm not just glad to be getting out of this house finally?"

"Are my accommodations not to your liking?" he asked, pretending to be offended.

"Oh stop!" She rolled her eyes at him. "Yes, Eric, I am excited. But I want you to say it if you know so much. What am I excited about?" she raised her eyebrow in a very Eric-like gesture. This endeared her all the more to him.

"I may be a man but I am not an idiot," he retorted. "It has not escaped me that this will be our first outing together since you finally accepted that you are mine." He looked steadily into her eyes, almost daring her to contradict him.

She smiled. "Just because you think I have been yours since Rhodes doesn't mean that we were officially together!" she teased him.

"Oh no, you have not been mine since Rhodes!" he contradicted her.

Surprised, she had to ask. "Then you agree with me?" As far as she was concerned, they had only really been "together" for a few days.

"I doubt it," he told her with a devious grin. He knew that what he was about to say would set her off. "You have been mine since the day we met. You just didn't know it!"

"Oh, God, Eric, are you gonna start that shit again?" she laughed again. "How can you realistically think that? I was with Bill!"

"You were never truly his and you know it!" he argued, "And please do not ruin our evening by mentioning that poor-excuse-for-a-Vampire's name again!"

They got into the corvette, and most of the drive was spent in good-natured bickering about just exactly when Sookie had started to belong to Eric. As they pulled into his spot in the back of Fangtasia, his expression turned serious. "Sookie, I hope I do not need to remind you that we need to be especially cautious tonight. I would prefer it if you did not leave my side for the entire night."

"What if I need to use the ladies' room?" she asked.

"Pam will go with you," he said firmly.

Sookie didn't like the idea that she needed a babysitter but wanted to ease Eric's mind. "Don't worry Eric, Baby, I don't want to get killed or beat up," she assured him. "I'll be careful and I will stay with you, OK?" She reached out to touch his face. He grabbed her hand and planted a kiss on the palm.

"That is all I ask," he said, smiling and more than a little relieved. He was out of the car and opening her door before she could get her seat belt unlocked. As he helped her out of the low-slung seat, he continued. "I also need to tell you that we have company here tonight."

"Really?" She was surprised. "Who?" They walked together toward the back door and he held it open.

"Herveaux, the packmaster is here," he told her as they went into his office. Pam appeared before they closed the door and they all went inside. Pam was dressed in her usual Fangtasia attire – a skin-tight black leather sleeveless dress that zipped up the sides and barely covered her assets, with thigh-high spike-heeled black boots and dark makeup. Her blonde hair was teased high enough to make the ceiling fans a danger. Eric went to sit behind his desk while Sookie and Pam took a seat on the couch.

"He is in the bar waiting," Pam said. "I am glad you are finally here. His stench is driving away the patrons!"

"Pam!" Sookie said, shocked. Alcide was her friend. She didn't like to hear this kind of talk. Pam only smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

"Be nice, Pamela," Eric growled for Sookie's benefit. "We will see him in a minute. Now, did he get a look at our guests?" Sookie's head turned sharply to look at him because of the way he said "guests."

"Yes, Master," Pam responded. "He says that none of them are his. Pity for them, really! Shall I go and fetch him?" She laughed at her own joke. Eric gave a firm nod, and Pam left the room to get Alcide and bring him back.

"Eric, who else is here?" Sookie pounced on him immediately.

"I was about to tell you when Pam came in," Eric explained. "We have picked up two humans who have been in the company of Victor Madden in recent days, and four Weres who were caught on the perimeter of our property last night. I will need you to use your gift to question them for me." What he didn't say was that the Weres had already been tortured for information and had revealed nothing. They were only still alive because he hadn't gotten to them yet, and he also wanted Sookie to find out what she could from them. The humans had been picked up earlier that same day and hadn't been questioned yet.

"All right, Eric," she said warily, "I'll do whatever I can!" She had a suspicion that there was something Eric wasn't telling her.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door. "Enter!" Eric responded, and Pam came in with Alcide Herveaux, the local Were Packmaster. Alcide, in his early thirties, was a few inches shorter than Eric, with dark brown hair, chocolate brown eyes, and a beard. He was muscular in the hard-working-man way, rather than the bodybuilder way. He wore faded jeans, boots, and a plaid work shirt. Sookie had once thought of him as potential dating material, but that had been a long time ago. Nevertheless, she jumped up and gave Alcide a big hug. Alcide reluctantly patted her back, seeing the murderous glare that Eric was giving him. Pam just smirked and went back to sitting on the couch. Sookie sat next to her, leaving one of the two office chairs for Alcide.

After Alcide took a seat, Eric took charge. "Thank you for coming, Herveaux," he began, surprising Alcide. Eric wasn't usually polite to him at all. Alcide decided it must be for Sookie's benefit. Eric went on. "You know that there has been a threat on Sookie's life." Alcide nodded. "Her home was burned to the ground five nights ago by Fae bent on killing her. We believe that, until tonight, they were unsure as to whether or not they had been successful. What do you know about that?" Everyone looked at Alcide expectantly.

Alcide cleared his throat and began his tale. His voice was deep and rich. "Well, about three days ago I was out at a client's property waiting for my guys so that we could survey the land. Out of nowhere these two freaky-looking people just appeared! Both of 'em were really tall, not quite as tall as you, Northman, but tall. One was a man, the other a woman. I couldn't tell that until they spoke because both of 'em looked pretty much alike." He looked around at everybody, and Eric made an impatient gesture for him to go on, earning an admonishing glare from Sookie. Alcide smiled to himself at that. "They said they was needin' some a my guys to do a job, find a girl, and they showed me a picture of Sookie here. I asked 'em why and they told me it was none a my business. I told 'em if they wasn't gonna tell me, I wasn't interested. I didn't let on that I knew her. They said they'd pay me fifty thousand dollars a man, no questions asked. I could tell they weren't human, so I asked what they was. They said they were Fae, maybe to scare me. Now I know that Sookie here has some Fae in her, so I wondered what they wanted with her. I asked 'em again and they wouldn't answer me. Just then my guys pulled up and they asked me again, so I told 'em I'd think about it. Then they just disappeared. The weirdest thing was, my guys was right there in the truck, and they didn't even see 'em!" He deliberately left out the part he had told Eric before, about wrapping Sookie in duct tape and delivering her to them naked. But he went on, for good measure, "Them fuckers are crazy! So whatever you want me to do, to help keep Sookie here away from 'em, I'll do!" He turned around and flashed her a smile, earning another glare from Eric.

"Why didn't you contact me right away to tell me of this threat?" Eric wanted to know.

Alcide shifted nervously in his seat. "To be honest, because I didn't know what was going on! I'd only just found out about her house, and I couldn't get anybody that knows her to tell me anything! Her brother said she was dead, and I called both Compton and Merlotte but hadn't heard anything back from 'em. I heard the two of you had some kind of a falling out a while back, so I didn't know you would be involved! And if her family thought she was dead, why the hell were these Fae people asking me to track her?"

"Two Fae assasins, in my area, asking you to kidnap and deliver one of my personal assets, who also happens to be my bonded lover, and you didn't know if I was involved?" Eric was incensed. He wasn't buying Alcide's excuses.

"Look Northman," Alcide stated firmly, "I aint a Vampire. I don't answer to you! Not everything that goes on around here involves Vampires. I wasn't about to pull you into this shit until I had more information. I would have called you eventually, but only as a last resort!" The two of them glared at each other while Pam sat in the background, grinning and waiting for the fun to begin.

Sookie jumped up, hoping to ease some of the tension. She walked around the desk and leaned down beside Eric, her arms around his shoulders. She kissed him on the cheek, gratified when he put his hands over hers and turned to look at her. She didn't say a word to him, but she could see his eyes calming as she smiled into them. She climbed into his lap, sending him love, calm, and trust through the bond. Her physical presence had a soothing effect on him. Just like that, the moment had passed. Pam sighed with disappointment and Sookie gave her a dirty look.

"Do you think they will contact you again?" Eric went on as if nothing had happened.

"I really don't know," Alcide replied. "I never did give them a yes or no answer."

"If they show up again, I want you to agree to their proposal," Eric stated firmly. Everyone looked at him like he'd just spouted horns and a tail. "It will give us the opportunity to trap them," he explained, his tone indicating that no argument would be tolerated.

"How in the hell are you going to do that?" Alcide wanted to know.

Eric gave an evil smile. "We have a few tricks up our sleeve," he said cryptically. Then he went on. "At some point in the near future, I may need to have guards for Sookie's protection during the day. Right now she will remain with me, in my day chamber, until the worst of the danger is past." He looked at Alcide. "You will provide me with four men, who will of course be paid well for their time and skill."

Alcide looked like he wanted to argue, but he didn't. "You'll get your men. Just call me when you need them," he grumbled. "Anything else you want from me?" He was anxious to get out of this office and away from Vampires entirely.

"No, you may go," Eric said dismissively. Alcide got up and left the office without a glance at anybody. Pam silently followed.

As soon as they were alone, Sookie started in on him. "Eric, you don't always need to be so rude to people!" she said.

Eric didn't like being told how to conduct his business. "Sookie, there is much you do not understand about the supernatural world. I must not show any weakness." His eyes narrowed and his mouth settled into a hard line.

"It isn't weak to be polite!" she insisted, glaring back.

Before the argument could go any further, Pam glided back into the office. Sensing the rising tension, she spoke up. "Master, we still have guests to.. entertain." She smiled, letting her fangs run out.

Eric was more than ready to do a little violence after the confrontation with Alcide and then Sookie. "Excellent, Pamela; let us proceed." He lifted Sookie to her feet and the three of them went through the secret door into the basement. Six individuals were chained with silver along the walls and the smell was putrid. Sookie blanched at the smell but walked bravely next to Eric until she saw the condition of four of the men, whom she guessed were Weres by the pattern of their thoughts. They were covered in blood and it was obvious that each had several broken fingers. She gasped and gave Eric a dirty look, which he returned.

"I left them _intact_ so that you could interrogate them," Pam said to Eric in a sultry voice. It was all about appearances now. She hoped that Sookie would not make trouble. As if on cue, Thalia and Clancy came through the door and down the stairs, taking up positions on either side of Eric, who had gently pushed Sookie into a chair a few feet behind the row of Vampires.

Eric walked over to the nearest Were and kicked him in the calf hard enough to break his leg severely enough for the bone to push through the skin. The man screamed and then snarled at Eric. Eric reached down and pulled the leg almost hard enough to tear it completely away. "Who is your master?" Eric snarled at the man.

"Fuck you!" the man yelled at Eric, who twisted the man's leg at an unnatural angle, earning a snarl and another scream. The air around the Were started to shimmer, but the silver chains prevented him from changing.

Sookie was trying hard to listen to all four of the Weres at the same time. Eric's victim was in too much pain to broadcast anything but a red haze, but the other three were projecting loudly. _"Oh shit oh fuck oh shit we are so fucked!"_ one of them was thinking as he watched Eric torture his accomplice. The next one was equally useless. _"Fucking deader I'd like to see you chained in silver so I could rip your dick off and feed it to your fucking whore while you watched.."_ The last one, however, projected a clear picture of a pair of fairies, one male and one female, handing them each a wad of cash while the female said _"wrap the bitch in duct tape and bring her to us naked, and we don't care what you do to her before that as long as she's alive.."_ Both of the fairies had laughed, an odd tinkling sound that chilled Sookie to her bones, and all four of the men had grinned and nodded.

Then the Were saw the way Sookie was looking at him and yelled "I heard about you, you fucking fang banger cunt! Get outta my head bitch!"

Eric was on him instantly, snarling, "That is my Bonded, dog, and you will show respect!" He twisted the man's arm at the elbow and ripped it right off, throwing it down and spitting on it.

Eric's fangs clicked down and he was about to go for the kill when Sookie screamed "Eric!" Her voice penetrated his haze of bloodlust and he turned his attention to her. He began stalking her as she replaced the Were as his prey. In a flash he had her pinned against the far wall, devouring her mouth and reaching up under her dress to rip her panties from her. She frantically grabbed fistfuls of his hair and was able to pull him away long enough to scream at him, "Eric! Stop! Eric! It's me, Sookie! Eric!" His nose was buried in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent, and that was what brought him down to earth. He fixed her with a murderous glare for stopping him, but then she whispered, "He was the only one who was projecting any information. If you kill him too soon, we might not get anything from any of them!" Satisfied with her reasoning, Eric gently lowered her to the ground and stood in front of her while she fixed her clothes. Then he returned to the Weres and she returned to her chair.

Four Vampires; four Weres. Each Vampire grabbed hold of a Were and began the process of forcing as much information out of them as they could before killing them. Sookie turned away, unable to watch. She was no longer getting anything at all out of their heads, so she turned her attention to the two human prisoners, a young man and a young woman. They were strangers to each other, and both were terrified of the scene taking place before them. Because their minds were focused on the Vampires, Sookie was able to dig around for any stray thoughts that might pop up. They were zealots! The man watched with disgust as the Vampires continued to work on the Weres, in his head projecting a sermon given by Steve Newlin about the unholy undead, and here it was before him. He had been hired by Victor Madden to infiltrate Fangtasia and look for any sign of Sookie. All that he had been able to report back was that Eric had been absent. This man's name was George, and George wanted them all to die. George was happy to give his life for his cause. George was useless.

The woman wasn't much different. She didn't know the man personally but she had been to the same sermon that he had. The same lines kept running through her head. It was strange, almost like they had both been brainwashed to think about the same things. Sookie wouldn't put anything past Steve Newlin and his FOTS cronies. The woman had been hired to apply for a job at Merlotte's, but Sam hadn't been interested in an interview. When she'd reported this back to Victor, he had been so angry that he'd beaten and raped her. The incident only added to the woman's beliefs that all Vampires and those who sympathized with them should be eradicated.

Eric finished what he was doing and turned to Sookie. Sookie had seen Eric covered in blood before; this was nothing new to her. However, Eric did not approach too close to her. "Sookie," he said gently, "have you gotten any information from the two humans yet?"

She looked at Eric and nodded, tears about to flow down her cheeks. "They were both hired by Victor to snoop around Fangtasia and Merlotte's. Neither of them gave him anything he could use against us. They're Fellowship. They hate us so much, Eric!"

Eric nodded firmly and turned to Pam. "Dispose of them. All of them," he ordered.

Sookie had long since steeled herself to the harsh realities of Eric's position, but at least the two humans could be glamoured to renounce the FOTS and set free. "Eric," she said, no!"

The room got deathly quiet.

"No?" Eric repeated. "What do you mean, no?" his voice was calm and deadly. Sookie had everyone's attention now.

"The humans, Eric, you can glamour them. They don't have to die!" Sookie stood her ground.

"They were involved with Victor Madden in a plot against us, Sookie!" Eric said. "No-one here is innocent. Do not question me on this!"

"Eric, listen to me!" Sookie cried. "You lied to me! You said that you would at the very least turn humans over to the police!" She was calling on the deal they had made so long ago when she'd helped him find out who'd stolen money from him.

"They have committed no prosecutable crime against us, Sookie!" Eric's voice was rising. "Your human police can do nothing!"

"Eric, you can't do this!" She got right up in his face and punched her finger into his chest. "You know this is wrong!"

"Sookie, this is your last warning," Eric seethed. "Do not push me further."

"I am gonna push you, Eric!" she yelled back at him. "Who the hell do you think you are, ordering me around like that? If you think I'm just gonna sit here and watch while you.."

She never got to finish her sentence. Eric reached out for her and clapped his hand over her mouth. "You go too far, Sookie," he said, for only her ears. Then he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder and began striding up the stairs with Sookie screaming at him to put her down. He stopped at the top. "Handle it, Pam!" He said through clenched teeth. He waited long enough for her respectful bow of obedience before he zipped out of the bar at Vampire speed and secured Sookie into her seatbelt in the car.

"Eric," Sookie started to say, but he held up his hand.

"Not in the car," was all he would say. His voice was low and deadly.

As they drove home the atmosphere in the car was more than tense. Sookie could tell that Eric was very angry and she didn't know what she would have said to him if he'd let her speak. She knew that Eric didn't like her to backtalk him in front of other Vampires, but what about the deal they had made so long ago? Did he expect her to just forget about their business arrangement because they were now a couple? None of those humans, or the Weres for that matter, had personally harmed either of them. They were just flunkies who'd been caught in the act of doing what they'd been told. If Eric thought she wouldn't stand by her principles, he could go fly a kite as far as she was concerned. They finished the drive in silence.

As they entered through the garage, still silent, Eric was thinking about what he had to do. He'd hoped that their relationship would never come to anything like this, but he supposed it was inevitable. He was going to have to punish her. With Sookie's stubborn streak, they had been bound to clash. If she had only waited to speak to him until they had been alone, none of this would be necessary. They walked together to the back bedroom that concealed the hidden door to his sanctuary in silence. He escorted Sookie through the two security doors at the bottom of the stairs and then stopped her before she could say anything.

"Sookie," he began in a firm voice, "I want you to listen to me very carefully. Your behavior tonight was unacceptable. You can NOT question me in front of my underlings like that."

"_Oh, great," _she thought. _"He wants to talk about it. I'm just gonna have to make him understand my point of view." _She shook her head at him, intending to speak her mind.

As she opened her mouth to speak, he held up a finger. "I am going to punish you for your actions. Now, do exactly as I say and do not argue with me." He gave her the no-nonsense look, his eyes deadly serious. "Go into the bedroom, strip, lie facedown and wait for me. Do not turn on the light. I will join you shortly."

She was confused. "Eric, what…" She never got to finish her sentence.

"I am not going to tell you again," he said, his voice a little too calm. He was fighting to keep his fangs retracted. "I will not be gone long. You had better be waiting as I instructed or I will add to your punishment. Do as I say. NOW!" He pointed his finger toward the bedroom to emphasize his command.

She stared at him for a second and he thought she was going to defy him, so he took a step toward her. Then his fangs came down. "OK, OK Eric!" she stuttered, holding up her hands in a gesture of peace, and hurried away to do his bidding. This was more serious than she thought.

Eric turned and, without another word, zipped back up the stairs. He was infuriated. He had to leave and get his temper under control or he might hurt her. It would do her good to wait, in the dark, and think about how she had undermined him. She simply did not understand the way the situation needed to be handled. The police were powerless against the enemies who were plotting against them. This was not a bar brawl in Bon Temps that they were dealing with. Eric had not lived for over a thousand years by being weak and letting his enemies go. Sookie must learn not to interfere.

He left the house and did something he'd never imagined himself doing. He took to the sky and flew to the nearest all-night liquor store, where he bought a 4-pack of Royalty Blend, surprised that they carried it, and a big bottle of Bombay Sapphire for Sookie. He wouldn't allow her anything tonight that would take the edge off of the pain of the punishment he was about to inflict, but tomorrow would be different. Back at the house, he downed three of the bottles of RB before he felt like his bloodlust was under control enough to deal with his Bonded. He steeled himself and entered the sanctuary. He had been gone less than 30 minutes.

Sookie had finally realized the seriousness of the situation when Eric gave her orders and refused to talk to her otherwise. She hung up her dress and put her shoes in the closet, then hurried to do as he said, not wanting to raise his ire any more than she already had. She thought about the night he'd brought her here. He'd been angry and he'd hurt her, physically and emotionally. What would he do this time? Why had she let her big mouth take over? She knew she needed to learn to cool it around other supes. Her Gran had raised her to be strong and speak her mind, but sometimes, as she was finding out, that wasn't acceptable in the supe world. She was only just starting to realize the strength and power of Eric's position and understand his need for dominance, obedience. As his companion, it was her job to support him, she realized, and air their differences privately. Would he give her the time she needed to grow into her role? Would he hold this over her head and refuse to trust her in the future? She waited, weeping softly, afraid for the second time since she'd come to live with Eric.

The smell of Sookie's fear and the sound of her sobs hit Eric in the face as he came through the second security door. He could not waver. It was his duty to ensure that Sookie knew what was and was not acceptable. If they weren't on the same page, their lives would be in danger. As soon as she felt his presence she fell silent. He stood in the doorway for a moment, knowing that he was intensifying her fear. He could see perfectly well in the dark, but she couldn't. He was pleased to see that she had obeyed him. She lay on her stomach, her head at the foot of the bed, trying to see him through the darkness but not having any luck. Slowly, he undid his belt buckle and began sliding his belt out of his jeans. He saw her jump in reaction to the sound.

He folded his belt in half and walked slowly across the room toward the bed, slapping it against his thigh as he moved. She had buried her head in her arms. He could smell her tears; she was crying again, trying to hide it from him. He sat next to her, at the foot of the bed, and reached out to cover her hand with his. She flinched but didn't pull away from him. "Sookie," he began in his no-nonsense voice. "Do you understand what you did?"

"Y-yes, I think so, Eric," she responded in a tiny voice, knowing that it would anger him more if she didn't answer.

"Tell me," he commanded. "I want to hear it in your words." He didn't give any clue about what he was thinking. He simply waited.

She was surprised at having been given a chance to say anything. Maybe she could get him to understand her point of view. She tried to make her voice strong but failed. "I- I shouldn't have.. questioned you.. in front of them," she said haltingly. "I- I embarrassed you. Be- because.. I- I'm human, and, and.. y-you're a Vampire, and.. you're stronger.. and, and, y-you're older, so you know, b-better than I- I do, how to handle, handle, what's going on." She couldn't see his face, but she looked in his general direction for confirmation. He said nothing, so she continued. "Be- because I- I wouldn't b- back d- down and t- talk to you in pr- private, so, so now you have to…" She trailed off, unable to say it. "But, but Eric, I didn't…" she stopped when he gently put a finger to her lips.

"There is no 'but,' Sookie. You absolutely must not question my authority in front of my underlings, _ever_" he explained in the same hard voice. "This diminishes their faith in me to be their leader. My orders must be obeyed without question, especially in serious matters like what happened earlier tonight. This is a matter of life and death, Sookie. Even a second's hesitation on any of our parts could get us all killed! Do you understand that?"

She hadn't, and her voice contained a note of surprise when she answered, "I-I do now, Eric. But…"

"This cannot go unpunished, Sookie. You _must not_ do this again. A lesson must be taught here." His voice had not changed. He had to maintain his authority, his right to discipline her. He held his hand out to her. "Come to me," he ordered, a little more gently. She hesitated a millisecond before taking a deep breath and scooting over to him. He took two pillows from the head of the bed, put one on his lap, and arranged her so that she lay across the pillow, face down, thighs slightly spread. "You will receive ten lashes with my belt," he explained. "You will count each one. If you fail to count, we will start over. If you try to get away from me or avoid the lash, we will start over, and five more will be added." He handed her the second pillow. "If you need to scream, scream into the pillow." His voice was absolutely impassive. "Do you understand?"

She began to cry a little louder, but she understood that there was no way to talk him out of this. Might as well get it over with. "I understand," she said in a voice so low that only a Vampire could hear it. She steeled herself for the first blow but was surprised instead to feel his cool hand gently caressing her flesh.

"You are strong, Dear One," he told her gently. "This will be over quickly. Remember to count," he said, and then he raised his arm.

THWAP!

It hurt! She felt a burning pain as the edge of the belt made contact with her soft skin. She imagined that she could feel an angry red welt being raised on the surface as she bruised. She screamed into the pillow and then, after a few seconds, sobbed "One!" Eric waited a few seconds before landing the second blow.

THWAP!

This time he hit the other side, and she now had a burning pain in both cheeks. Any doubt about the serious nature of this matter had been soundly erased. "Two!" she managed to say very softly. His cool hand ghosted gently over the marks his belt had made, causing Sookie to cringe and twist her hips to escape the light touch.

"Are you going somewhere, Sookie?" he growled, his voice low. She immediately stilled. She hadn't really been trying to get away. His gentle touch had startled her. She settled uneasily back into position, tensely waiting. "I know it is difficult, but try not to be so tense. It will hurt less." He was genuinely trying to comfort her.

"Please, Eric, just get it over with," she replied through clenched teeth, her voice small and meek.

Sookie had never been punished physically in her life. She wanted to be angry with Eric. She wanted to scream at him and call him every nasty name she could think of. She wanted to get the belt away from him and use it on him. But she understood why he was doing this. She had weakened him in front of the Vampires who depended on him for their survival. His authority must never be called into question in front of them. Their lives would all be in danger if he had to waste time fighting with her. She could not let her stubborn pig-headedness put them in danger ever again. She had agreed to accept punishment for wrongdoing, twice in fact. As horrible as this made her feel, she knew that Eric hated it more. She could feel it through the bond. There was no satisfaction, no gloating, triumph, or enjoyment coming through the bond. Only determination and the fact of necessity came from Eric right now, along with a little bit of sadness. She was a big girl; she could take it. She wouldn't punish Eric afterward. This would be the end of it. Lesson learned.

He could have done a lot of damage with the belt, but he did not hit her with the buckle, and tempered his strength so that the welts he raised would go away in a day or two. The bruises would take a little longer but would look worse than they actually felt. He would give her his blood then, and everything would heal instantly. He finished her punishment quickly, perhaps enjoying it even less than she did. He didn't enjoy punishing his Bonded. He hoped she could sense that.

When it was over he rubbed her back soothingly for a few seconds before gathering her into his arms. He thought she might push him away, but she clung to him as she cried. "Eric," she finally said, "I'm sorry." He held her that way and rocked her until he felt her shiver. Then he pulled the covers down and gently placed her beneath them. He quickly undressed and slid in beside her, pulling her close and murmuring endearments.

"It is over, Lover," he told her, kissing her eyelids, nose, and then her lips. "I love you. You were strong. You did well. I am proud of you. We will not speak of it again." She nodded. He held her tightly in his arms, rubbing her back and saying soothing words in old Swedish.

He knew that the cool temperature of his hand would help to ease the pain of her burning flesh. He settled her on her stomach at his side and began to gently caress her bottom cheeks with his hands. Her skin felt very hot. He almost couldn't bear to see the welts and bruises that he'd given her, but it had been necessary. She closed her eyes and moaned her pleasure at his touch, and then he smelled the distinctive scent of her arousal. "Eric," she breathed, turning her face toward him and nuzzling into him. Was she feeling aroused after that? He felt her through the bond, sensing her need for him, and dipped his hand lower, caressing her warm folds. She was soaking wet. He was hard in an instant, his cock straining against the confines of his tight jeans.

Suddenly the monster inside him reared its head. He was overcome with the need to possess her, all of her, right now. She had accepted his punishment, and now he would take her. He pulled her against him, dipping his head to kiss the special spot behind her ear that made her shiver. He kissed his way down her neck, scraping his fangs against her collarbone, nipping at the spot where the slope of her shoulder met her neck. Slowly, he moved his finger away from her glistening folds to press gently but insistently against her back entrance. Her eyes opened in surprise and they stared at each other. Then she fisted her hand in his hair and pulled him to her for a deep kiss. He understood that to mean her assent, and pressed his finger in deeper. She moaned into his mouth, her tongue caressing his fangs. He added a second finger and pressed in deeper.

Eric couldn't imagine that anyone before him might have touched her in this way, especially not that tiresome fool Compton. At the thought of Compton, he felt a surge of anger. How dare Compton have ever touched Sookie? Sookie should have been his, and only his! He knew his anger was irrational, but still he growled and kissed her harder. His fangs cut her lip and he sucked on it as if it were his only life source. Then he pulled away from her and rolled her on to her side, facing away from him. While he added a third finger in the back, his other hand moved in front of her to caress her swollen nub. She cried out at the feeling of being touched so intimately both front and back. She lay her head down on the flat mattress, baring her neck and shoulder to him, and he kissed and nipped roughly up and down, scraping his fangs against her soft skin and drawing small amounts of blood. His eyes were wild, his desire raging, the monster ready to devour her.

He forced his head up and away from her neck before he bit and lost all control. "Sookie," he growled roughly, not stopping the action with his hands. "If you do not stop me now, I will not be able to stop."

Sookie was in her own frenzy of need. She cried out again as his fingers on her clit vibrated at Vampire speed, forcing a hard climax out of her that was only intensified by what he was doing in the back. She had already forgotten the pain of her punishment even though it was still very much there. She knew what he was asking of her. She should be afraid. She should run for the hills. But she loved him. She needed him. She needed him to claim her and make her his in every way. This was what she could give him that would be his and his alone from the beginning. "Eric!" she cried, "Don't stop, Eric, don't stop!"

He had done all that he could with his hand to prepare her for the rest of him. He reached out to the nightstand and pulled down a bottle of massage oil. He pushed her onto her stomach and put a pillow under her hips, then he poured the oil over her bottom, rubbing some into her sore cheeks before concentrating on getting it inside of her tight hole. He coated his hand with it and put his fingers back inside while she writhed beneath him. Then he positioned himself atop her, poured a generous amount of the oil onto the "gracious plenty," and placed the head at the entrance. Slowly, he started to ease inside of her, at the same time reaching around for her nub once again.

She was prepared for pain, and there was a little, but it was mostly the sensation of being filled and stretched. When Eric reached around to stroke her little bundle of nerves, she was lost in a haze of sensation. "Eric!" she breathed at the feeling of him filling her. "Don't stop! Don't stop, Eric!"

"Gods, Sookie!" he moaned, "So hot, so tight!" He could barely control himself to keep from impaling her in one hard stroke. His monster did not want to give her the time to get used to this new sensation, but Eric held on to his control. She was his, and his alone. Claiming her did not include the need to hurt her. Slowly, relentlessly, he pushed inside a centimeter at a time until he was buried to the hilt. Then he stopped to give Sookie time to get used to it before he moved again.

As soon as Eric pulled back to take another stroke, his fingers on her nub wrenched another climax from her. "Eric!" As she bucked and screamed beneath him, he buried himself back inside of her tight passage, and then he started to move. Slowly at first, he felt through the bond that he caused her no pain, and he started to move faster. The monster reared its head and growled, and Eric took both of Sookie's hands in his and trapped them above her head. He felt himself thicken inside of her and he knew he was about to come. Then he snarled as he found his release, and he leaned forward and sank his fangs into her shoulder while he pumped jet after jet of his seed inside of her. He only took a little blood because he would not give her any of his this night. He collapsed atop her, spent, and then rolled to the side, easing gently out of her. Quickly he bit his finger to make it bleed, and then pushed it gently inside of her to heal any tearing that might have happened. She jumped but was silent, panting softly, and she reached out with her arm to put it over his stomach, caressing the muscles with her hand. She moved her hand to his chest, where her fingers curled into the coarse hair that grew there. He rolled on to his side and pulled her close, sliding her head onto his bicep so that he could put both arms around her.

After they lay there together for a moment, Eric got up and went to the bathroom. He came back with a warm washcloth and used it to gently clean Sookie. She winced a little, and he saw a tiny bit of blood, but then she smiled warmly up at him and said "I love you, Eric."

He was overcome with his love for her. He tossed the washcloth to the side and climbed back into bed with her, throwing the soiled pillow aside with the washcloth. He pulled her into his arms, kissing her forehead. "My Sookie, I love you."

She snuggled into him as close as she could get. It had been a tough night for her. She needed his love, his acceptance, and his reassurance. "Hold me, Eric? Please?"

"Always, My Lover, Always," he replied softly, then he wrapped his strong arms around her and held her as she drifted into a fitful sleep.

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**No threats from Eric this time. I know this chapter may have been very hard to read. I welcome and respect all reviews and comments, even (and maybe especially) the negative ones. Until next time...**

**Thank you for reading and sticking with me.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi everyone! I am so sorry for the delay in posting a new chapter! There have been many things going on in my life, and I've also had a bit of writer's block. I wanted to let you know that I haven't deserted you. Here is a short preview of Chapter 12. I hope you like it. I should post the entire chapter in a few days if I can finish it. Thank you for being patient and sticking with me! It means the world to me!**

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**Charlaine Harris owns all of these characters. I am only borrowing them for a little while.**

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She was running, running for her life, terrified. Behind her, something roared, and she could feel the rage coming off it like a nuclear blast. She dared a glance backward, but it was too dark to see. It was gaining on her. She was human, no match for a supe. The darkness enveloped her but she did not trip or run in to anything. Her breaths were labored and she knew that she couldn't go much farther. She tried to channel whatever magic might be inside of her to give her strength and speed, but it didn't work. Hands reached out of the darkness and grabbed her shoulders. This was it. She knew she was going to die…

"Sookie! Sookie, wake up!" She was being shaken, her hands and wrists being slapped and rubbed. She thrashed around on the bed, incoherent. She had to get away! It had caught her! She heard a distant scream and realized it was her own. She was being shaken harder, Eric's voice getting louder. She jerked awake.

"Eric?" she cried, disoriented. She reached out blindly and there he was. He pulled her into his arms.

"It's all right, Sookie. I am here! I am here!" He was rubbing her back, rocking her, soothing her. Her arms wound themselves around his waist and she turned her face into his bare chest. Unwanted tears began to spill down her cheeks. "What is it? What happened?" he wanted to know.

She took a few deep breaths, calmed by Eric's presence and his unique scent. She rubbed her cheek against him and snuggled as close as she could get. "It was so real, Eric!" she finally said. "Something was coming after me and I couldn't get away. I was running and…" she shuddered.

Eric knew that she'd had a nightmare. He had been working in his office when he'd felt panic and desperation coming through the bond. He'd rushed to her side, only to find her kicking her feet, her hands out in front of her as though she were trying to push something away. He'd grabbed her hands, slapped her wrists, and shaken her until she woke up.

He was angry.

This danger was now invading her sleep. It was bad enough that she was jumping at shadows and overly emotional. Now she couldn't rest. He reached into the nightstand on his side of the bed and pulled out the pills Dr. Ludwig had left. He set the bottle down and rushed to the refrigerator for a bottle of water. When he came back into the room he froze. If his heart was beating, it would have stopped. Sookie had taken the bottle of pills from the nightstand and had poured them all into her hand. She was moving them around with her finger, staring at them almost as though she was in a trance.

"Sookie?" Eric said gently. "Lover, what are you doing? Please put those back in the bottle." He wanted to go to her and forcibly remove the pills from her hand, and he would if she didn't obey him.

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**I know there's not much to review here. Thank you in advance if you do review. Eric is not making threats to leave us because this chapter is short. :-K**


	12. Chapter 12

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**A/N: This chapter will introduce Amelia and Octavia to the story. So that you don't bombard me (smile) with questions, in this story Sookie has never met either of them before. They will play an important role in Eric and Sookie's lives.**

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Thank you for being patient with me! I know this has been a long time in coming and I have no good excuse to give you. I appreciate you all so much! This story would never have passed chapter 1 if not for your reviews and comments. You are wonderful!

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WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned!

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**Many thanks to my indespensible beta charhamblin! She pointed out so many mistakes in this chapter that I wondered if I'd ever get it right. Thanks Char! You're the best!**

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**Charlaine Harris owns these characters. I am only borrowing them for a little while.**

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**Chapter 12 - Time to Take Action**

She was running, running for her life, terrified. Behind her, something roared, and she could feel the rage coming off it like a nuclear blast. She dared a glance backward, but it was too dark to see. It was gaining on her. She was human, no match for a Supe. The darkness enveloped her. Her breaths were labored and she knew that she couldn't go much farther. She tried to channel whatever magic might be inside of her to give her strength and speed, but it didn't work. Hands reached out of the darkness and grabbed her shoulders. This was it. She knew she was going to die…

"Sookie! Sookie, wake up!" She was being shaken, her hands and wrists being slapped and rubbed. She thrashed around on the bed, incoherent. She had to get away! It had caught her! She heard a distant scream and realized it was her own. She was being shaken harder, Eric's voice getting louder. She jerked awake.

"Eric?" she cried, disoriented. She reached out blindly and there he was. He pulled her into his arms.

"It's all right, Sookie. I am here! I am here!" He was rubbing her back, rocking her, soothing her. Her arms wound themselves around his waist and she turned her face into his bare chest. Unwanted tears began to spill down her cheeks. "What is it? What happened?", he wanted to know.

She took a few deep breaths, calmed by Eric's presence and his unique scent. She rubbed her cheek against him and snuggled as close as she could get. "It was so real, Eric!", she finally said. "Something was coming after me and I couldn't get away. I was running and…" she shuddered.

Eric knew that she'd had a nightmare. He had been working in his office when he'd felt panic and desperation coming through the bond. He'd rushed to her side, only to find her kicking her feet, her hands out in front of her as though she were trying to push something away. He'd grabbed her hands, slapped her wrists, and shaken her until she woke up.

He was angry.

This danger was now invading her sleep. It was bad enough that she was jumping at shadows and overly emotional. Now she couldn't rest. He reached into the nightstand on his side of the bed and pulled out the pills Dr. Ludwig had left. He set the bottle down and rushed to the refrigerator for a bottle of water. When he came back into the room he froze. If his heart was beating, it would have stopped. Sookie had taken the bottle of pills from the nightstand and had poured them all into her hand. She was moving them around with her finger, staring at them almost as though she was in a trance.

"Sookie?" Eric said gently. "Lover, what are you doing? Please put those back in the bottle." He wanted to go to her and forcibly remove the pills from her hand, and he would if she didn't obey him.

A few seconds went by, and Eric was about to act when she looked up at him. Her eyes were blank and unfocused. They stared at each other, Eric silently willing her to do as he said. Out of nowhere, she gasped and her eyes widened. She looked at what was in her hand and began to shake. She dropped them all over the comforter and covered her face with her hands. Eric moved to her side at Vampire speed and retrieved all of the pills, putting them back in the bottle. He gave her one, handed her the water, and ordered her to take it. As soon as she did, he zipped out of the room and hid the bottle. She would not be getting her hands on it again. He was back in the bedroom in seconds, and he wanted to know what had just happened.

"I don't know, Eric," she told him. "I was sitting here, and suddenly there was a voice, like a whisper, except that it was in my head. It said 'You are evil. You must die.'" She reached for him and he climbed into the bed, taking her in his arms. "It told me to look around for something that would kill me, and the next thing I knew, you were standing over me telling me to put the pills back in the bottle. The voice told me to commit suicide, and I almost did! What's going on?" She looked into his eyes and he hated the fear he saw there.

It was time to call a meeting.

Eric sat next to Sookie as the drug calmed her and she drifted off back to sleep. He watched her for a while to see if she would have any more nightmares, but she slept peacefully. He went back into his office and texted Pam. He asked her to contact every Vampire who owed him fealty or favors, along with the leader of every pack in his area. It was time to deal with these bastards once and for all. Tomorrow was Monday, and Fangtasia would be closed. He wanted everyone to be there at 10:00pm.

Outside, on the edge of the property, motion detector cameras were following something that had only been visible for a few seconds. The air shimmered as the fairy Breandan cloaked himself in the darkness. Malice and hate were dripping from him. He knew he had reached the half-breed with his mind, and he had ordered her to kill herself. Something had happened to break the connection; perhaps it was her death that had made her mind disappear. He would make inquiries to find out if he had succeeded, but he felt that he had. Satisfied with his night's work, he disappeared.

Later, inside the house, Eric was looking at the monitors in the security room, watching the recorded footage of the last few hours. He saw when the camera moved and he caught a faint glimpse of something that disappeared so fast that only his Vampire vision could have seen it. Something had been out there. Whatever it was, it was able to reach in and touch Sookie's mind. It had been unsuccessful because Sookie had somehow been able to resist its influence. There was another person he needed to call.

Octavia Fant was the leader of a powerful witch coven in New Orleans. There were local witches in Shreveport, but Octavia was the most powerful witch he knew. He knew that it was impolite to call people in the middle of the night, but he needed her help, and she owed him a favor. He dialed her number.

"Hello?" a sleepy voice answered after ten rings.

"Ms. Fant, this is Eric Northman. I trust you remember me," he used his Sheriff voice to get her attention.

There was a shuffling sound, and then her voice was clearer. "Eric? Do you know what time it is?" she tried to sound stern but she had a deep affection for the ancient Vampire.

"Yes, I do," he replied, "but I have need of your services."

"Well, I guess you couldn't call me during the day, could you?" Eric could hear the smile in her voice. "What has happened?"

"I have bonded with a human woman," Eric told her. "Someone set fire to her house last week and she lives with me now." He paused to let that sink in.

"Bonded?" Octavia was surprised, and pleased. "Congratulations, Eric!" She paused, thinking. "They are still coming after her, I take it?"

"That is correct," he responded. "I will send a private jet for you in the afternoon. You will come here and ward my house and property against intruders."

"What kind of intruders?" she asked. "I need to know so that I can properly prepare."

"It is Fae who are after her," Eric explained. "Tonight she had a nightmare, and then she heard a voice telling her to kill herself. Someone was able to get into her mind. This will not happen again!" Eric growled.

"Fae?" she exclaimed. "Their magic is strong and hard to counter. Do you mind if I bring an apprentice?"

"Who is this apprentice?" Eric needed to know. "Is it someone you trust?"

"With my life," Octavia said. "She is particularly skilled when it comes to Fae magic. Her name is Amelia Broadway."

Eric had every intention of doing a background check on this apprentice before she would get anywhere near his Sookie. "You understand that my Bonded's life is more important than my own?" Eric demanded. "If any person you bring here does her harm, I will kill you both."

"Charming as ever, Viking!" Octavia laughed, then her voice was serious. "I understand, Sheriff. What time will the plane arrive?"

"My day man will call you with the details. You will be well compensated for your time."

"Of that, I have no doubt!" she said.

"Until tomorrow then," Eric said, and then hung up. He typed a message to Bobby Burnham with instructions for the background check on Ms. Broadway and the jet for Octavia. If anything suspicious turned up on the background check, Ms. Broadway was not to be allowed on the plane.

Eric then went up the stairs and out of the house. He took to the air and surveyed the area around his property where the security camera had detected something. He saw nothing and landed quietly. He would sneak up on whoever it was, if they were still there. As he crept through the trees, his nose was assaulted by the strong smell of fairy. It was fresh, and he found no tracks leading to or from the place where the smell was strongest. This didn't surprise him since almost all fairies were able to teleport. He smelled powerful magic around the spot, and instinct told him that this was at least one of the fairies who led the campaign against his Sookie. He pulled out a plastic Ziploc bag from his back pocket and picked some leaves and grass that held the strongest scent. He would commit this scent to memory, as would every creature in Fangtasia tomorrow night. They needed to know exactly who their enemy was, and this was a good start.

OoOoO

Sookie woke, stretched, and sat up. She winced and her rear end protested, causing her to remember what had happened the night before. She glanced at the clock. 4:48pm. Eric would be up in a couple of hours and she was grateful for some time alone to think. She walked to the bathroom and turned around, staring at the reflection of her backside in the mirror. No wonder she was in pain! Both cheeks were black and blue with bruises. There were also raised welts, but her skin wasn't broken.

She decided that a good long soak in the tub was called for, but first she needed her coffee. She went into the office and started the coffee maker, noticing a folded piece of paper on the bar top. It was a note from Eric.

_My Lover,_

_I know that you will be in pain when you rise. You may be looking forward to a bath, but I ask that you wait for me to rise so that we may bathe together._

_Forever Yours,  
~E~_

"_What is he up to?"_ Sookie thought. She remembered the last time they had bathed together and her stomach clenched. She got very warm and the moisture pooled between her legs. Pain or no pain, she would never deny Eric, especially now that she had accepted her relationship with him.

She searched every cupboard she could find, looking for Tylenol, Advil, or any other type of pain reliever. She wasn't surprised to find none, since this was Eric's lair and Vampires didn't get headaches. Feeling defeated, she took her coffee and went to sit in the media room to think. Why had she challenged Eric like that in front of the other Vamps? She'd thought that she was getting her big mouth under control, yet last night she had completely stuck her foot in it. As much as she'd hated Eric's punishment, she thought she deserved it.

When Eric had explained the kind of relationship he wanted to have, she really hadn't thought he was serious. Well, it turned out that he was serious. Very serious. She had never thought he would physically punish her for anything. Was this the type of relationship she wanted? There was no question that she loved Eric, but loving a powerful Vampire was never something to be taken lightly. Did she have enough courage and strength to be with Eric in the long run? Apparently they were destined to be together. The thought of it angered her a bit because she felt like she hadn't had a choice. She'd felt drawn to Eric the first time she'd seen him. Now she knew why. It was too much to think about, she decided. Right now she wanted to be close to him, and her bum hurt from sitting in this chair. She went back to the bedroom and got into bed, lying on her side and getting as close to Eric as she could. Within minutes she'd gone back to sleep.

What seemed like seconds later, she felt a cool touch on her backside. Startled, she jerked awake to find Eric softly caressing her. His eyes were sad. He had a hell of a case of bed-head and still looked absolutely gorgeous. Again she marveled at his beauty and wondered why such a creature would ever be interested in her. Even with the supposed "destiny" thing, Eric didn't have to choose her, but he had. Her eyes softened and she reached out to touch his face. He stopped his ministrations to her rear end long enough to plant a kiss on her wrist.

"How do you feel, My Lover?" he wanted to know.

Sookie didn't want to be petulant but he would know if she lied. "Lousy, actually," she replied. Then she thought of his note. "Why didn't you want me to bathe without you? Well, other than obvious reasons." She blushed at the thought.

Eric didn't seem to be in the mood, a rare thing for him. "You will be angry with me, but I wanted you to feel it for a while before I healed you." He lightly squeezed her bottom for emphasis, earning a wince and a glare from Sookie.

"You're going to heal me? Why?" she asked. "Not that I don't want you to, but isn't the point for me to feel it so I know I did something wrong?"

"Yes," he said, "but I cannot bear to see you bruised and in pain, especially knowing that I caused it. So I will heal you." Then his face became stern. "You _will not_ do that again!" It was not a request, but an order.

Sookie nodded. "I understand, Eric. I'm sorry. If I have something to say to you, I'll do it in private."

"That is all I ask." he told her, acknowledging her apology. His face was solemn. He stood up and held out his hand to her. "Come, let us bathe. I will give you my blood." She took his hand and followed him.

Eric started the water and poured in some exotic-smelling oils. As the room filled up with the fragrance, Sookie felt it begin to soothe her. They climbed into the tub and he pulled her back against his chest, setting her on his lap instead of the hard bottom. He bit his wrist and offered it to her. She began to suck, and she could feel him growing hard against her back. Eric moaned and started gyrating against her. The sensation of her taking his blood overcame him, and he sank his fangs into her shoulder harder than he'd intended to. In the blink of an eye he lifted her up and impaled her on his throbbing shaft, his movements fast and rough. The water was spilling out of the tub as they fucked but neither of them noticed. The mutual blood exchange brought them both to orgasm within seconds, and they saw the white light turn blue again. Eric pulled his fangs from her shoulder and licked the wounds while Sookie licked his wrist, watching the bite close on its own. She relaxed back against him and they needed to add more water, having sent most of it on to the floor.

After they had bathed and braided each other's hair, Eric told Sookie that they needed to go to Fangtasia for a meeting. He didn't elaborate, and she didn't ask. She knew that the bar was closed on Mondays. She was feeling much better after taking Eric's blood and she decided to be a bit feisty. Eric had a surprise coming. She chose a simple black shirtdress that buttoned down the front and didn't quite touch her knees. With it she wore a lacy black bra and a matching thong, something she'd found in her chest of drawers.

As the time approached, they got into the corvette and drove to Fangtasia. They parked out back and went in through the employee entrance. Sookie could feel the minds of many people in the bar. Most of them were unreadable to her, being Vampires or some kind of Shifter. The few humans she was able to listen to, but nobody was thinking about doing them harm.

"Eric?" she said, batting her eyes at him.

"My Sookie!" he replied, pulling her into his arms. She rested her head on his chest for a few seconds, feeling safe and loved.

"I don't hear anyone thinking of harming us," she told Eric. "But I do have something for you." She pulled back out of his embrace and went to sit on the couch.

Eric watched, surprised and fascinated, as she shimmied out of her thong panties, leaving her bare underneath. She got up and came back to him, a coy smile on her face. She took the tiny scrap of lace and tucked it in the front pocket of Eric's jeans, taking time to rub her fingers against his hardness.

"Sookie!" Eric growled. He pushed everything on one half of his desk on to the floor, grabbed her and sat her there. His lips crashed down on hers in a hard, hungry, brutal kiss while one hand went up under her skirt. He fisted his other hand in her braided hair, pulling it a little. Sookie responded by undoing the fly of his jeans and reaching inside to stroke him. Eric's kiss became deeper and he had two fingers inside her, curling against her secret spot. He leaned Sookie back on the desk and forced his way between her legs, positioning himself at her entrance.

The door opened and in walked Pam. "Can't you two control yourselves for five minutes?", she said in her sassy voice, knowing that Eric would be furious with her for interrupting. "Every Supe for fifty miles is out there and you two are in here acting like rabbits. Get a room!"

Eric turned to Pam and looked like wanted to throttle her while Sookie hurried to put herself back together. "We'll be out in just a minute, Pam!" she said, embarrassed. Eric scowled at Pam and showed her his fangs when she tried to look around him at Sookie in her state of partial undress. Eric moved to block her view. Pam raised her eyebrows and smirked at Eric.

"You will be punished for this, Pam," Eric threatened. "You know that you are to knock when I am in here with Sookie!"

Pam continued to smirk. "Even if I had, you wouldn't have heard me!"

Eric's scowl became more of a snarl and Pam knew when to back off. She bowed her head in submission and said, "I am sorry, Master. I will knock louder next time!" They both knew that she hadn't knocked at all, but Eric didn't correct her.

Sookie thought it would be best to distract Eric before he did something awful to Pam. Now that she was put back together, she walked around Eric and stood in front of him, leaning back into his chest. His arms automatically came around her. She discreetly slid her hand into the pocket where Eric had stashed her panties, pretending that she was going to take them back. Eric would have none of that. He grabbed her wrist and held it.

Pam watched this little display with amusement, happy that Eric and Sookie seemed to have come to terms with their relationship. She didn't want to anger Eric any further, so she bowed her head again. "We are all waiting whenever you are ready," she told him. With that, she left Eric and Sookie alone in the office.

Eric turned Sookie around to face him and wrapped his long arms around her. His hands moved downward and started to crinkle up her skirt, exposing her ass to the room. He gave her a devilish grin and said, "You are a very bad girl, My Lover! Every Supe in the bar will know that you are naked beneath that dress." She turned a delightful shade of red when he said that, and buried her head in his chest with a sheepish smile. He caressed her bottom with his hands and then – SMACK! He spanked her playfully and smoothed her dress back down. "The rest of your punishment will have to wait for later!" he whispered darkly.

Sookie blushed even more, knowing that he was dead serious. Her body responded to Eric's words. She got goosebumps, her nipples hardened and her juices coated her thighs. Her stomach clenched with that familiar ache and she shivered. Eric's hands were back on her behind, which was now covered back up. She looked up at him, reached up to pull him down for a kiss, whispered "bring it on, Vampire!" and she winked.

Eric growled and pressed himself against her, showing her that he was hard as a rock. "You are in very deep trouble, Lover!" he promised with his sexy, fangy, predatory smile.

Sookie smiled back and then lowered her eyes, knowing that he liked her to show submission. She put her arms around his waist and squeezed. "Shouldn't we go out and join the party?" she asked him.

He leaned down and captured her lips in a searing kiss, forcing his tongue into her mouth and moving it the way another body part would do later. Never breaking the kiss, he walked her backwards until she was pinned against the door. His hands fondled her breasts through the dress and her bra, and her nipples stood at attention for his touch. He squeezed and teased her, still plundering her mouth. When he broke the kiss so that she could breathe, her knees were weak and she leaned on Eric for support.

"Now we will go," he told her, that dangerous smile coming back. Sookie loved that smile and the promise of what would come later. She was still pinned against the door and she took a few seconds to rub him through his jeans, earning another deep growl as he grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head. Her lips were swollen from his kisses and he knew every Supe in the bar would smell her arousal. It pleased him because they would know that only Eric would be the one to touch her.

He was about to kiss her again when a loud knock interrupted them. Pam's voice spoke from the hallway. "I am sorry, Master, but the natives are getting restless!" She didn't make another snarky comment because Eric was already mad at her.

Regretfully, Eric looked down at his Sookie just as her pink tongue darted out to wet her lips. She bit her bottom lip in such a way that endeared her to him every time she did it. "Later," he growled, fangs fully on display.

She swallowed nervously but her eyes never left his. "Later," she repeated breathlessly.

With that, they opened the door and went out into the bar. Sure enough, every Supe sniffed the air and locked their eyes on Sookie. Eric glared at every one of them and growled menacingly. Nobody would dare to touch what was his, and he made sure that they knew she was his. Her hand was in the crook of his arm as she walked next to him, and his other hand covered hers in a possessive gesture.

They walked to the dais where Eric's throne was, and Sookie was surprised to see a smaller chair placed to the right of his larger one. She looked up at Eric, shocked, a question in her eyes. She remained silent because she absolutely was not going to undermine Eric's authority in any way this time. She knew that the Vampires believed that their humans should only speak when spoken to.

"My lady," Eric said gallantly, indicating the smaller chair. Sookie smiled sweetly at him and obeyed him by sitting down. He sat next to her, his eyes sweeping the crowd and taking note of anyone who was not present at this important gathering. It looked like everyone he had expected was here. He smiled and nodded at Octavia, who smiled back.

Octavia was a woman of color, somewhere in her early fifties, Eric guessed. Her short hair was peppered with grey and her eyes were a dark brown. She stood about 5'2" and was a little on the plump side. She was dressed in a dark blue blouse with gold trim, and dark blue slacks. Next to her was a woman who had to be the apprentice. She was thin with shoulder-length dark brown hair and blue eyes. She was dressed in a deep purple sweater dress with chic knee-high dark brown boots. Both women carried an air of magic around them. Eric was glad to see them and planned to meet with them privately after this meeting.

As soon as Eric had appeared in the main part of the bar, all conversation had ceased. They were respectfully waiting for him to speak. Sitting on his throne, his deep voice carried throughout the room without having to raise his voice. "We are here to answer a threat to me and mine," he began, looking pointedly at Sookie. She blushed and kept her eyes on her hands, which were in her lap.

"For those who do not know, Sookie and I are bonded and pledged," Eric announced. A bit of noise broke out as many Supes stared at Sookie and voiced their disbelief. "Silence!" Eric thundered. "The home of my Bonded was burned to the ground several days ago. The local Weres were approached and asked to track her and abduct her. Herveaux!" Eric exclaimed, looking at Alcide. "Have they contacted you again?"

"No, not yet," Alcide answered. Eric nodded and continued to speak.

"You will do well to remember the heroic actions of my Bonded at Rhodes." There was some muttering and a lot of heads were nodding as the Vampires remembered. "It is your turn to help her, and by doing so you are helping me."

Calvin Norris, the leader of the Were-panther community in Hotshot, stood up and asked to be addressed. Eric acknowledged him with a nod. "There were a couple of people out at Hotshot looking for her yesterday. A man and a woman, tall, weird looking." The residents of Hotshot were the epitome of stereotypical rednecks. The families were inbred, their houses were run down, and every yard had at least one car up on blocks. They mostly kept to their own, only occasionally venturing out. For Calvin to say that the people looking for Sookie were weird, they would have to be _really_ weird!

"What did they do?" Eric wanted to know.

"They talked to just about everybody who was home and would open their door," Calvin said. "Went through every outbuilding and public place we had. They didn't hurt nobody but we could tell there was somethin' wrong about 'em. We wouldn't have given 'er up if she'd been there!" Calvin had a soft spot for Sookie and had actually tried to court her, looking for new blood to strengthen his family line.

"Did they offer you money or anything else to find her?" Eric asked.

"Nope!" Calvin replied. "Maybe they didn't know about us."

Eric thought that would be really strange. Fae could usually spot other Supes. Why had they offered the Werewolves money to track Sookie but not the Were-Panthers?

Sookie had a sudden thought, and she squeezed Eric's thigh, where her hand had been resting. He leaned over to listen to her, and then nodded. "Was Jason Stackhouse out in Hotshot yesterday when they came?" Jason had been bitten by a Were-Panther and had to change at the full moon with the others. It wasn't time for the full moon yet, though, so Jason probably wouldn't be out there.

"He wasn't around there yesterday," Calvin responded with a nod at Sookie. Eric caught it and glared until Calvin dropped his gaze.

Eric gestured to Pam, who brought up the little plastic bag containing the scent of the fairy who had been snooping around his property. "I want all of you to memorize this scent. This creature was able to get into Sookie's head and tried to manipulate her into committing suicide." There was a collective gasp around the room. "I believe this to be the fairy Breandan, enemy of Sookie's family and now mine as well. The Fae are cunning and powerful creatures and it may be difficult to subdue them. They are unable to tolerate lemons or lemon juice, and can be killed with it. In addition, they cannot stand to be around iron. If you restrain a fairy, do it with iron. In addition, a weapon containing iron will slice through their skin like a hot knife through butter. Those of you who have swords will find it more useful against the Fae to use one made of iron." The plastic bag was still making its way around the room, and Eric continued his talk. "In addition to the fairy whose scent is carried in this bag, there are two others actively looking for Sookie. One is male, the other female. I believe that their names are Lochlan and Naeve. I place a bounty of $100,000 on the heads of these three fairies. I mean each, not collectively. Bring them to me dead to earn the reward. If you are approached by any fairy asking you to track or abduct Sookie, bring them to me alive if you can. The bounty for this is $25,000. If I find out that anyone is victimizing fairies in order to falsely earn the reward money, you will feel my wrath." Eric swept the room with his gaze, making eye contact with every Supe there. He knew that the Vampires who owed him fealty would hunt the fairies without a reward. The others, however, had no reason to help him other than their feelings for Sookie. As much as Eric hated knowing that other men desired her, he would use this to help save her life.

Sam Merlotte stood up from a booth in a corner. Neither Eric nor Sookie had noticed him when they arrived. Eric grudgingly gave him the floor. "I am more than happy to do this for Sookie," he stated, Eric showing his fangs, "but can you tell us why they want her?" Sam glared right back at Eric.

Eric had known this question would come up, and he had prepared an answer. "It is to do with Sookie's lineage. These fairies believe that Sookie is dangerous to them and are prepared to kill her. That is all we will say on the matter."

Sam had another question. "You glamoured all the humans in Sookie's life to believe that she's dead. Was that really necessary?" He had seen the effect on people firsthand. Jason had been in to Merlotte's by himself several times, which was very unusual for him. His eyes were always red, and he drank beer after beer with his head hanging. Jason's buddies hadn't been able to console him, it seemed. Jason never talked about it but Sam knew what he must have been feeling.

Eric responded. "Yes, it was very necessary! If her family and friends were seen grieving for her, those who are after her would believe that they had accomplished their mission."

"Yeah, but it didn't work!" Sam insisted. "If they are still running around asking Weres to track Sookie, they didn't fall for your ruse!"

Eric was getting impatient now. "We know that our enemies are unsure about whether Sookie lives. They are trying to confirm that they succeeded."

"How long will you let her family think she's dead?" Sam wanted to know.

"As long as is necessary!" Eric snapped. Then he addressed the room. "From now on, if any of you are approached by any human or Vampire in Felipe DeCastro or Victor Madden's retinue, or if any Faeries ask you to search for Sookie, you will tell them that you believe her to be dead. I have gone into mourning for my Bonded and that is the reason I have not appeared at Fangtasia." His eyes swept the room, daring anyone to disagree. Everyone nodded their heads in acquiescence. "This is a secret that I expect you to keep," he continued. "Last night the Faery whose scent is in the plastic bag we passed around tried to compel her to commit suicide. We are to spread the rumor that he succeeded."

Sam knew that Eric had reached the limit of his patience. For Sookie's sake, Sam would go along, but he had no love for Eric. He had arrived early for the meeting and had heard Eric and Sookie's playful banter about punishment. He thought that Eric must be abusing her, especially seeing how she sat quietly next to Eric without saying a word. He resolved to kill Eric if he ever got the chance.

As Sam sat down, Sookie raised her head and gave him the dirtiest look she could manage. She usually couldn't read his mind very well, but somehow those last thoughts had been clear to her. She was going to talk to Sam after the meeting was over.

Bill got Eric's attention next, and he stood up to speak. "This plan will cause confusion, Sheriff. We have glamoured the humans to believe that Sookie died in the fire. Now you want us to spread the rumor that she committed suicide. What if this gets back to any of the humans?"

Eric grudgingly admitted that Bill had a point. "Pam, you, Bill, and Clancy will find every human you glamoured to believe that Sookie died in the fire. You will glamour them again to believe that she lived through the fire but later committed suicide." The three Vampires looked askance at each other, but agreed to Eric's instructions.

"Master, how will you prevent this Fae assassin from getting into Sookie's mind again?" Pam wanted to know.

"Meet Octavia Fant and her apprentice, Amelia Broadway," Eric said, gesturing toward the two witches who were sitting alone in a booth near the door. Everyone looked at them. Octavia smiled and nodded, while Amelia raised her drink by way of a greeting. "They will ward my home against physical and mental intrusion. Magic will also be conjured around Sookie to prevent her mind from being visible to anyone who might get past the outer wards." Eric didn't mention Sookie's new powers or the fact that her cousin Claudine would be helping Sookie to develop them.

Eric continued to speak for another hour, talking strategy and arranging for more guards in and around Eric's property. Eric still refused to let Sookie out of the basement sanctuary while he was asleep during the day. It was the only place he knew where fairies could not POP in and out. It was lined with layers of concrete, silver, iron, and copper to keep Supes out.

Eric dismissed the meeting, asking Octavia, her apprentice, Pam, and Bill Compton (who had been instructed to quietly mingle and observe the attendees) to stay. As the people filed out, Sookie grabbed Eric's hand and purposefully strode toward Sam. At first Eric resisted, but feeling the determination in Sookie through the bond made him follow. She stopped Sam just as he reached the door, folding her arms and glaring at him.

"What is it cher?" he had the nerve to use an endearment with her after he had just threatened the most important person in Sookie's life. Eric also folded his arms and waited for Sookie to say whatever she wanted to say.

"Sam Merlotte!" she exclaimed in a hard voice. "I heard everything you were thinking!" She paused again and a look of understanding appeared on Sam's face. Before he could say anything, Sookie continued. "Eric is NOT abusing me and you have no right or reason to think badly of him!"

As soon as the words left Sookie's mouth, Sam found himself pinned against the wall with Eric's hand around his throat. He squeezed just hard enough for it to hurt. Sam clawed at his hand, angrily at first, then starting to panic.

"Sam, you will apologize to Eric this minute!" Sookie demanded, giving no thought to the fact that Eric wasn't allowing Sam to breathe at the moment. When Sam managed to nod frantically, Sookie turned and calmly asked Eric, "Sweetie, will you please let him go so that he can apologize?"

Eric held on to Sam for about three more seconds, finally letting him go with a good shove into the wall behind him. Sookie and Eric waited. Sam wasn't happy. "Yeah, um, Eric, I can see that you're not hurting her and, well, I'm sorry." He raised his head to look into Eric's eyes at the last second. Eric, whose mouth had drawn into a hard line, nodded stiffly.

Before Sam could turn and leave, Sookie did something surprising. She pushed at his shoulder hard enough to knock him off balance. She had much more strength than normal because she was ingesting so much of Eric's powerful blood lately. Sam's eyes widened when he realized how strong she was. Sookie put her finger right in Sam's face. "Now you listen, and listen good!" Sam had the grace, and the sense, to nod respectfully. "If you ever, _ever_, EVER threaten my Bonded again, he won't have to kill you, because I will! We have been friends a long time, Sam, but what Eric and I have goes much deeper than you could ever understand. I will _never_ leave him. Get it through your thick head! He is not hurting me and he _never_ will!"

Eric stood by Sookie's side, astonished and amazed at the way she defended him. His heart swelled with love and pride, and he sent it to her through their bond. She linked her arm with his and said "Back at ya, Baby!" Then she kissed him on the cheek.

Sam had one more thing to say before he left. "Uh, Sookie, Eric, I really am sorry." This time he meant it. "I'm still on your side and we will get these bastards before they get you." He reached out to pat Sookie's shoulder but thought better of it when Eric growled at him. Instead, he nodded and left like a scolded puppy with his tail between his legs.

Eric picked Sookie up and laid the mother of all kisses on her. He swung her around and then pinned her to the wall in the same place where Sam had been. He hadn't forgotten that her underwear was still in his pants pocket and he was more turned on than he ever had been.

Pam and Bill had watched the whole exchange, including the way Sookie had tried to protect Eric. "Well, fuck a zombie!" Pam exclaimed with a grin. "That's one little girl you don't mess with!"

Bill watched everything happen with chagrin. It had never been clearer to him than it was at that moment that he would never get Sookie back. He smiled ruefully at Pam and said "Ditto!"

Pam had to clear her throat loudly several times before she could get Eric's attention. He was too busy putting his mouth and hands all over Sookie, and she was responding like there was nobody else in the room. Maybe, to them, there wasn't. Eric reluctantly broke their kiss, leaned down, and whispered in her ear, "Lover, hold that thought. We still have business to attend to."

True to form, Sookie blushed all the way to her toes. "Sorry Pam, Bill," she said sheepishly.

Eric turned to address Octavia Fant and her apprentice, who had remained sitting in their seats watching the whole scene with Sam. Octavia was smiling and shaking her head, while the witch called Amelia looked very uncomfortable. Both witches stood up at Eric's approach.

"Are your hotel accommodations to your liking?" Eric asked them. He had put them up in a luxury suite at the local Marriott, a hotel he was thinking of buying. He was interested to know what it was like from an actual guest's point of view.

"We love it, Eric!" Octavia smiled enthusiastically. Behind her, Amelia gave a nervous bob of her head and managed a weak smile. Amelia had never been in the company of so many Vampires before, and they made her nervous.

"I am glad to know that," Eric told her, back in full Sheriff mode. "You will come to my home tomorrow night at 9:00pm to ward it against the kind of intrusion I mentioned on the telephone. I will send a car for you thirty minutes before our meeting."

Octavia was grateful that he wasn't asking them to do the wards tonight. Eric's early morning phone call, the flurry of getting ready to travel, the flight itself, and the meeting had left her a bit tired. "Will you need anything from us tonight?" she wanted to know.

"No, and I will see you tomorrow. Thank you for coming on such short notice." Eric replied. "Your driver is waiting to take you back to the hotel."

The two witches left, leaving Sookie and the three Vampires alone. They all trooped into Eric's office. When Sookie made to head for the couch, Eric grabbed her hand and settled her on his lap. She laid her head on his shoulder and absently played with a lock of his hair.

Trying not to be distracted by Sookie's touch, Eric asked Bill, "Well, did you see or hear anything suspicious?"

"I am not sure," Bill replied. "That Hotshot bunch kept their heads together throughout the meeting, sometimes seeming to ignore you. I am not sure if they can be trusted."

Now that they were in familiar company, Sookie knew that she no longer had to play the part of obedient, quiet pet. "Calvin wanted to marry me once," she stated, earning raised eyebrows and shocked expressions from all three Vampires.

"When was this?" Eric demanded.

"Remember when Jason went missing and we found out he was bitten by Felton Norris?" Sookie asked. Eric and Bill nodded, but Pam had never heard the story. "He came around a few times after that. It was creepy. He only wanted me because the whole place is inbred and I would bring in new blood." She shuddered at the realization. "When Jason married Crystal, I knew they were excited for the two of them to have babies, but then Crystal miscarried."

Eric had been contemplating killing Calvin Norris for showing any interest in his Sookie, but he now realized that he'd had no claim on her when Calvin had been coming around. "Perhaps the community has sour grapes toward your family," he suggested. Sookie nodded.

"I don't really trust them. Jason goes to run with them during the full moon but I never get involved if I don't have to," Sookie explained. "I had to break Calvin's finger after Crystal cheated on Jason. I'm sorry she's dead but I was afraid Jason would do something stupid and I'd have to let them hurt me!" Eric snarled at the possibility.

"I would never allow that, Sookie," Eric said firmly, stroking her arm gently. "I would offer myself in your place, their traditions be damned!"

Sookie kissed Eric's cheek and then rubbed her face against it, glad that he would defend her, and more glad that he wouldn't have to.

Pam, who had known Eric the longest of anybody in the room, was fascinated by Eric's behavior with Sookie. He'd had lovers before, both human and Vampire, but he'd never treated them this way. He was protective and possessive, which she had expected, but he displayed a softness toward her that Pam had never seen in him before. She was sure that Eric had punished Sookie in some way after the incident in the basement of Fangtasia; he would have felt like he had no choice. Whatever had taken place, Sookie didn't seem to bear any ill will toward Eric. In fact, the two were so close that they were like two halves of the same whole. She hoped that Eric would soon tell them what this situation was about. Beyond everything else, Eric seemed more grounded. He touched Sookie so easily, naturally, without any thought at all. Pam was happy to see this change in Eric, but that didn't mean she would tease him any less about it!

Eric felt Pam's scrutiny through their maker-child bond and looked over Sookie's head to raise his eyebrows at Pam. He knew something was up and he fully intended to find out later. More importantly, though, he needed his closest confidants to know what was going on with Sookie.

"I am sure that you are wondering what all of this is about," Eric began. "I am not completely sure that the information I have been given is 100% accurate. The night I regained my memories of my time with Sookie, while I had amnesia, I became angry and flew to her house to confront her. We argued and I took Sookie against her will from her home."

Bill's face reflected astonishment, and then anger. "Eric, how could you…"

Eric cut him off with a murderous glare. "What happens between myself and MY wife is none of your concern, Compton! Now, do you want to hear this or would you prefer to leave?" Eric sat silently, fuming, waiting for an answer.

"I apologize," Bill said tersely. "I will stay." He looked properly ashamed, so Eric nodded and continued.

"As you all know, later that night Sookie's house was burned to the ground. I received information from her great-grandfather that this had happened before within their family due to a legend believed by the Fae. Sookie is believed to be destined to unite all of the Supernatural beings and stop the warring." Eric paused to give Pam and Bill time to ask any questions they might have. Neither had any, so he continued.

"We are unsure as to the validity of this legend created by the Fae, but more important is the fact that _they_ believe it. They seek to kill Sookie to prevent her from fulfilling this prophecy, or whatever you want to call it. Sookie is developing powers, some of which are natural because she is part Fae. We are told that other powers will appear that have to do with her being this _Chosen One_, but we have no idea what they are or when they will appear. Sookie has already developed a heightened sense of smell and the ability to project a shield around herself when she is highly emotional."

Bill and Pam stared in astonishment at Sookie. Embarrassed, she smiled at them and held on to Eric tighter than she had been.

"My Lover, do you wish to add anything?" Eric asked.

Sookie wished that he would stop calling her that in public, but she'd never say that to him. "Well, I'm pretty sure that I'm not really going to unite the world of Supes!" She smiled shyly and looked down.

"Do not underestimate yourself, Sookie!" Eric scolded her. "We all know that you are not merely human. We must prepare for the possibility that it is indeed you the Fae speak of. If you have a duty to fulfill, running from it will do you no good!" Eric wanted to remind her how running from him had not worked to keep them apart, but decided that was a private conversation to have with her.

Pam had a question. "How is it that you recovered your lost memories and managed to get Sookie away on the very night they tried to kill her? It seems awfully coincidental!"

Eric nodded. "It does indeed. It could be another part of this destiny we are supposed to have together, or it could just be dumb luck. Either way, I am glad that I acted when I did." He hugged Sookie closer to him and gave her such a look of love that she blushed, and Bill cleared his throat.

"Why was your man Burnham snooping around over there?" Bill asked. "I smelled him in addition to the other scents around the place. It was why I initially thought you were involved in the fire."

This was something Eric wasn't sure he wanted Sookie to know, but he decided it was best to get everything out in the open. "My memories came back through dreams while I rested, while others resurfaced after I rose. Yes," he nodded when the other two Vampires looked at him like he'd grown a third eye, "I dreamt of Sookie and myself, and the things that happened while I stayed there with her. As I tried to come to terms with what I had remembered, I became angry. I knew Sookie was at work so I sent Burnham over to her house to snoop in her kitchen and purchase the exact same food items she had there."

"That's why you have all this stuff here for me?" Sookie interrupted.

"Yes, Dear One, it is part of the reason," Eric actually looked a bit sheepish under her scrutiny. "I had planned to try to persuade you to live with me anyway, and had been planning for that when this happened. That is why Pam shopped for clothing for you, and the same toiletries you use are here."

"Eric, I don't know whether to kiss you or kick you!" Sookie exclaimed, shaking her head, a look of bewilderment on her face. Nobody had ever gone to such lengths for her and she couldn't help but love Eric when she probably should have been mad at him.

"Once you were with me," Eric continued, "Burnham had contractors lined up to go over and assess your home to make a light-tight space for me, so we could go back and forth together. I had no plans to make you give up your home completely, and I am sorry that this has happened." His arms tightened around her and he rested his chin on top of her head, which she'd laid on his chest. "We can try to rebuild someday, if you wish."

"I'm not sure about that right now," Sookie said sadly. "Let's just take it one day at a time, OK?"

Bill watched the interaction between the two of them, slowly coming to the realization that Sookie was forever lost to him. Until this moment he had still held out hope. Sookie obviously loved and trusted Eric very much. Bill would have advised her to be wary of Eric and his motivations, but he doubted even Eric could pretend to love her as much as he was showing right now. There was also the matter of their blood bond. If Eric was not sincere in his feelings, sooner or later Sookie would know it. Sookie was too smart to be fooled by false promises and insincere gestures. Bill had pledged fealty to Eric as his Sheriff and he would keep his promise, especially for Sookie's sake. She had done nothing to inspire the hatred of these people, or fairies, who wanted to kill her. Bill would help Eric to keep her safe. If anything happened to Eric, however, Bill vowed to be there to help her pick up the pieces.

Eric watched Bill watching Sookie and was sure that he knew exactly what was going through Bill's mind. Bill had better watch his step around Eric. Pining for Sookie was one thing, but he had better not try to come between them. Bill would never live to see another sunset if he did, Sookie's feelings be damned. He would protect what was his.

"Do we know of anyone we could send into Hotshot without arousing suspicion?" Eric asked Pam and Bill.

"Jason Stackhouse," Pam responded immediately, causing Sookie to give her a startled look. "Well, it's true!" Pam told her. "You said yourself that Jason runs with them. He was married to one of them. Do they trust him?"

"I don't really know," Sookie told her. "But didn't you say that Jason thinks I'm dead? How could we get him to do this?"

"I will speak to him," Bill volunteered. "Because of my former relationship with Sookie, it may not be considered that unusual for him to be seen with me. If one of you were to go, you would have to do it in secret." He looked at Eric for confirmation.

"I agree to that," Eric stated. "Sookie, do you think it would be wise to tell him that you are alive? What I mean is, could he know that you are alive and well and still pretend that you weren't?"

"Jason may not be the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, but I think he could handle that," Sookie answered. "I would like for him to know that I'm OK." Eric felt her sadness through the bond and rubbed her arms gently. She almost purred at the contact, it felt so good. Eric enjoyed her reaction as well.

"Very well, Bill," Eric said with finality. "You will speak to Sookie's brother. Before you approach him, shadow him to make sure he is not being followed. We do not want to inadvertently alert the enemy to our actions. We need to know if any of the Hotshot panthers have been contacted by or are currently associating with Victor, Felipe, or any of the Fae."

Bill nodded and stood up. "If that is all, Sheriff, I will take my leave." As much as he accepted Eric and Sookie's relationship, he didn't enjoy sitting in the same room watching them touching each other. Eric nodded his dismissal, and Bill left. Both Eric and Pam listened for the sound of his leaving the bar. Sookie automatically followed the void that was his mind until she felt him moving away, probably in his car.

"He's gone," Sookie informed Eric and Pam.

Pam stood up and Eric nodded at her. She showed her fangs and left. "Pam will be following Bill at a distance to see if he is really on our side," Eric explained when Sookie looked questioningly at him.

As soon as they were alone and Eric had heard Pam leave the building, his hands started to roam. He lifted her and carried her over to the couch, pinning her beneath him. Before she could protest, he had unbuttoned all of the buttons on her shirtdress and unclasped her bra, which closed at the front.

"Eric!" she cried in alarm as he pushed the front of her dress open and pulled one of her nipples into his mouth. She slapped at his hands and he stopped what he was doing long enough to pull both of her arms behind her back and hold her wrists in one hand. "Eric!" the tone of her voice changed as his fingers found her center and his fangs bit into her flesh. She arched her back and pushed herself against him, trying to bring him closer. He growled approvingly and turned his attention to her other breast, also biting deeply into her nipple. His fingers were working magic as they alternately pinched and caressed her clit. His lips bloody, he kissed her hard, piercing her tongue with his fangs so that he could draw more of her blood. Sookie moaned, sighed, and almost purred as Eric brought her closer and closer to her release. Just as she was about to go over the edge, he stopped. Her eyes opened wide as he continued to kiss her forcefully, purposefully.

Finally he broke the kiss, his face hovering just inches from hers. "Hmmmmmmm," he hummed softly, looking deep into her eyes. "There is nothing better than the feel of you in my arms, pleasuring you in a way I know only I can." He moved back in to kiss her but she turned her head.

"Why did you stop then?" she whispered softly, reproachfully.

"There is still the matter of your punishment, My Lover," he explained in a soft but firm voice with a touch of an evil grin.

For a moment Sookie was confused. "Punishment? For what?"

Eric reached into his pants pocket and fished out her panties. "Have you forgotten so soon?" She turned ten shades of red and tried to sit up. Eric wouldn't let her; instead he ground his crotch against her so that she could feel the huge bulge in his jeans. "I could think of nothing else," he told her seductively. "I was distracted. What if I had been in danger?" He looked at her wide-eyed.

She had never thought of that. "Oh God, Eric, I am so sorry!" she cried. "I wasn't thinking! I would never do anything that would get you hurt, or…" Tears began to fall down her cheeks.

Eric hadn't realized that she would have such a strong reaction; he was only pretending to be angry. He knew he had to let her off the hook before she became hysterical. "Sookie, Lover, Dear One, shhhhhh!" He bent to lick the tears from her face and pulled her close. "I was teasing! I know you meant no harm! I was not in danger; not in the slightest!"

Now she was angry. He had never released her arms from behind her back and she struggled to get away from him. "I can't believe you did that to me, you, you big jerk!" she called him for lack of a better insult at the moment.

Eric used his body to pin her back against the couch cushions so that she could barely move. He started kissing up and down her neck, scraping his fangs against the spot behind her ear that always made her crazy when he touched it. She shivered and tried to pull her shoulder up to deny him access to her neck. He growled and nipped at her collarbone and then the other side of her neck. Before too long, all of her tears were gone and she was responding to him with gasps and sighs. He let go of her wrists and she brought her hands up to tangle in his hair, drawing him closer for a kiss. Still sniffling a bit, she managed to smile at him. He smiled back at her, sending her his love and reassurance through the bond.

As they lay on the couch making out like teenagers, Eric moved in close to whisper in her ear. "I am still going to punish you!" He licked her neck and then nuzzled against her, causing another shiver and goosebumps everywhere on her skin.

Sookie smiled with pleasure, knowing that Eric's "punishment" would be enjoyed by both of them. "I was a very bad girl," she whispered between kisses. "Let's go home and talk about it!" Before the last word died on her lips, Eric had swept her into his arms, exited and locked the back door of the bar, and sat her in the passenger seat of his corvette.

Before she put on her seatbelt, Sookie started to refasten her bra and button up the buttons on her dress. Eric reached across the car, unclasped her bra, and pulled her hands away so that she couldn't close her dress. "Pull it open, wider!" he ordered in his scary no-nonsense voice, giving her a predatory grin full of fang. She started to protest, but as his eyes became more intense, she smiled shyly and cast her eyes down, removing her hands from her dress. Eric separated the two sides of her dress so that she was completely exposed. "Put your hands behind your back," he demanded, "and keep them there until I tell you otherwise."

She felt a tightening in her stomach as she became aroused and a little bit fearful at the same time. Eric sniffed the air, his grin getting wider and his fangs coming out all the way. "Yes, Eric," she said, knowing that was the response he was looking for.

"That's my girl!" he said approvingly. Then his hand moved into her lap and he spread her knees apart as wide as they could go in the car's bucket seat. "Do not move them!" he ordered. "Look at me, Sookie!" She immediately turned her head to give him her full attention, and he reached down to caress her folds. She knew that she would be wet for him even though they were only getting started. Eric's growl rumbled in his chest and his touch became firmer. His thumb vibrated on her nub at Vampire speed and she unintentionally threw her head back and closed her eyes. He stopped. Panting with need, she brought her eyes back to his and he started again. In seconds she reached her first orgasm of the night.

Eric loved the way her lips parted and her eyes darkened as he pleasured her. He knew that the sense of danger and the unknown she experienced when he dominated her scared her a little, but it also excited her. Her heart would beat faster and her breathing would quicken. He would push her tonight, and they would both enjoy it.

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**I'd like to direct your attention to a couple of extremely awesome stories that I've read recently. They are more than worth your time to check out!**

**Handle With Care by blackdeadorchids  
Sookie goes with Sam to his brother's wedding and ends up sleeping with Sam. Did she really cheat on Eric? Not necessarily! Give the story chance to develop after the first few chapters, which will make you angry or sad. Things are not always as they seem!  
http (colon slash slash) w w w (dot) fa nf ic ti on (dot) n et/s/6216078/1/Handle_With_Care(Take out the spaces & add punctuation)**

**Deadly Words by 22wolf  
This story features Eric with an OC. During an altercation at Merlottes with some very nasty vamps, Dina tells the vamps that she belongs to Eric. Eric takes that as an offer and he accepts. But Eric wants more than just the average relationship. He wants all of her, all the time. What will the strong-willed and independent Dina say to his "proposal?"  
ht tp (colon slash slash) w w w (dot) fa nf ic ti on (dot) n et/s/5436571/1/Deadly_Words (Take out spaces & add punctuation)**

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**We were off the hook for a little while, but Eric is back to making threats. He says that if you don't review he will move to Utah and become a mormon missionary. He will wear a white shirt and tie and ride around on a bicycle. Please don't doom Eric to that fate! **

**Hit the review link below, please!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: In this chapter, Octavia and Amelia will be performing spells to protect Eric, Sookie, and their home. _These rituals are completely fake_. I know nothing about witchcraft or how a spell would be done, and I do not claim to offer any authentic spell casting in this or any other chapter. Please do not write to me to tell me what real witches would do. I know that I have no idea what I am talking about and no offense is intended. Please enjoy the chapter!**

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**Many thanks to my most incredible beta charhamblin! She keeps me in line!**

Thank you also to everyone who has set this story (or me) as a favorite, set it up to get alerts, and/or sent me a review (or multiple reviews)! You keep me going and I so appreciate you! From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

I plan at least one more chapter before Thanksgiving is celebrated in the US. However, if I don't manage to get it finished on time, Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it! May many blessings come your way!

For the pagans out there, I wish you a blessed Feast of Ullr!

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**ANNOUNCEMENT: There is a new contest to sink your teeth into. "Valentines Fae Tales." More info after the chapter.**

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******WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned!**

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**I do not own any of these wonderful characters. They belong to Charlaine Harris. No infringement is intended.**

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**Chapter 13: To Boldly Go**

Sookie stared across the car at Eric, wondering what had gotten into him. He was still smiling at her, fangs extended and eyes that were practically glowing. The tension was thick in the car, and Sookie wanted to look away. If she did, however, Eric would no doubt command her to look at him. He had never acted this way before and she felt completely exposed. Well, she was!

"You are beautiful, My Lover," Eric spoke softly but his voice held an edge that said he would brook no disagreement. "Do not be ashamed to display your body. Only I can see you."

She nodded, relieved that he wasn't trying to embarrass her. His long arm reached across the car to softly caress her breasts, taking the time to pinch and pull each nipple as he stroked it. Her nipples stood at attention for him as they always did. Her breathing came in pants as he moved his hand downward. A part of her wanted to close her legs tightly and deny him access, but somehow she knew he wouldn't tolerate that. His fingers softly brushed her clit and it was like a bomb went off! Her hips bucked and she sucked in a strong breath. Eric lightly pinched her swollen nub and then his fingers began to circle it.

Eric knew that she would feel frightened if he didn't watch the road even though his sight, hearing, and reflexes were much better than any human on their best day. He was fascinated by her strong reaction to his touch and enjoyed the scent of her arousal permeating the air throughout the car. She held her hands behind her back as he had ordered her to. He was glad that she was willing to obey him. She needed to get used to doing that.

"Eric! Oh God, yes Eric! Yes!" Sookie moaned as his hand worked her to a frenzy. He decided he would let her come again and he moved his fingers just so… She screamed his name and her whole body quivered with the force of her climax. Eric slowed the motion of his hand, lightly stroking her mound and around the edge of her folds. This was meant to relax her, and it was working.

She looked at him lovingly and he could see that her eyelids were ready to close. "Eric?" she said softly.

"Yes, my angel?" He smiled softly at her.

"I want to touch you. Can I move my hands?"

He contemplated that for a few seconds. He would enjoy the feeling of her touching and stroking him, but there was also a lesson to be learned here. When he gave her an order, he expected it to be obeyed. He knew she felt vulnerable with her dress open and her legs spread apart. Depriving her of the use of her hands gave him complete control of the situation.

"No, Lover," he said sternly, replacing his soft smile with a severe stare. "If you do not keep them behind your back I will pull over, tie them behind you, and punish you when we get home."

His words stung; he was deliberately being cruel and obstinate. Sookie's own expression darkened but she nodded and bowed her head.

Right on cue, Eric's hand cupped her chin and drew her gaze back to him. He was not smiling but his eyes held love and, surprisingly, respect. "Are you mine, Sookie?" he asked.

Her eyes widened at his question. "Yes Eric," she replied. "I am yours, every single part of me." She tilted her head to the side and gave him a shy smile. "Don't you know that, Baby?"

"Yes, I do know that," he told her. "But it is nice to hear it spoken." His hand strayed downward again, his long fingers splayed apart as he caressed his way to her center. His palm stroked her nub and he dipped a finger inside her. If she'd had room, she'd have opened her legs wider to give him better access. As it was, his finger curled just so and she felt that delicious feeling of sexual excitement and pleasure.

Instead of going farther and bringing her to another climax, his hand caressed its way back up her body, his one finger leaving a wet trail of her juices. He circled each nipple with that finger, and then he held it in front of her face. She smelled herself on his hand and licked her lips. He pressed his finger against her lips and she opened them, never taking her eyes off of him. She swirled her tongue around his finger and gently sucked it in to her mouth, just as she would another body part.

Sookie barely noticed the car sharply turn off the road and go bumping into the trees, the road barely visible. Once they were out of sight of the highway, Eric was out of the car. Before Sookie could say "where the hell are we?" he had plucked her out of her seat and laid her out on the hood. Even in her current state of undress, she felt safe and loved because of what he was sending through their bond.

She remembered that he had told her to keep her hands behind her back, and that's what she did. But as he started kissing his way down her body, starting with her neck and collarbone, he moaned "Touch me, Lover!"

She didn't need to be told twice! Her hands fisted in his hair first, pulling him closer as he nibbled on her breasts. She arched her back for him and then slowly ran her fingernails down the front of him, outside of his shirt. She quickly untucked his shirt and gave his back the same treatment.

Eric was kissing her like he'd never kiss her again. Their lips and tongues only parted long enough for her to take a breath. Sookie reached down and freed his massive erection from the confines of his pants. As she began to stroke him, he grabbed her hands and held them behind her with one of his. She knew what he was about to do, and she scooted as close as his hold would allow her. He parted her thighs wider with his free hand and positioned himself at her entrance.

In one strong motion he buried himself deep inside her. She gasped as she felt him all the way to her womb. Eric wasn't in the mood for romance. He let go of her hands and ordered "hold on to me!" She placed her hands on his shoulders and gripped him tightly, and then he took her hips in his hands and started pounding. Sookie threw back her head and moaned, crying his name as she came only moments later. She loved it when Eric fucked her like this, primal and passionate. No words were needed because each knew what the other needed.

As soon as he heard Sookie cry out and felt her walls tightening around him, he bent and sank his fangs into her breast, tasting the adrenaline and endorphins in her blood. Mixed with her Fae essence, it was like an elixir from the Gods. He drank greedily, needing to feel her blood inside him. His thrusts became wilder, harder; he needed to be as deep inside her as he could be, and then he came hard. He pulled his fangs out of her breast and licked the wound to seal it, then he cursed in Swedish and collapsed onto her.

Sookie loved the feeling of having him on top of her, still inside her. Their connection was the strongest in moments like this. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and held him close. "Eric, I love you so much!" she whispered passionately.

"My sweet Sookie," he crooned softly. "You are the light in my darkness!"

They stayed that way, wrapped in each other's bodies, for several more minutes. Although he was relaxed and content, Eric was monitoring the surrounding area closely with his Vampire hearing. He heard nothing; his own people wisely stayed hidden. Satisfied that they hadn't been followed by unfriendly forces, he slowly withdrew from Sookie, leaving her to cry out at the loss of his body atop and inside of hers. He picked her up and carried her to the car, giving her his trademark smirk as he once again parted her dress and pushed her thighs apart. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck, pulling her hands with him so that they were again behind her back. This time Sookie smiled flirtatiously at him and winked.

"Oh, Lover, if you do that again we will be back on the hood of the car!" Eric smirked back at her.

Only moments later (because of Eric's maniacal driving) they were pulling into the garage at Eric's home. Sookie, unsure of Eric's expectations, didn't have a chance to wonder what to do before he had unhooked her seatbelt and was carrying her inside the house. Before he had picked her up, he had pulled her arms around his neck and kissed her softly on the lips.

Eric carried her straight through all the security doors and into the master bedroom in the sanctuary. He relieved her of her clothing, tossed her on the bed, face down, and was inside of her in the blink of an eye. He held her hands above her head, pinning her with his large body and pounding into her for all he was worth. It didn't take Sookie long before she let out a shriek and screamed, "Eric! Yes, yes, oh yes, just like that Eric!"

Letting go of one of her hands long enough to grasp both of them in his other hand, he moved to the side and SMACK! He spanked her with his open hand, startling her.

Sookie was still delirious after the delicious orgasm he had just given her, and it pulled her out of her reverie. Still gasping, she asked in a breathy voice, "What did you do that for?"

"I told you I would punish you when we got home, didn't I?" he whispered into her ear, nipping at her earlobe with his fangs and licking the sensitive spot where he knew she was ticklish. SMACK! His hand made contact with her backside again, hard enough to sting but barely enough to leave a red spot. He nibbled on her neck and chuckled darkly.

Now she understood perfectly what he had meant by punishment. This was playful punishment, not intended to hurt her or teach her anything. As soon as the thought went through her mind, she spread her legs and arched her back, earning a growl of appreciation from him when he was able to thrust deeper inside her. She wiggled her hips and said, saucily, "Please, Mr. Scary Vampire, don't hurt me! I'll be good!" She wiggled her hips again.

Eric growled menacingly into her other ear. "I do not think you have quite learned your lesson yet," he rasped in his sexiest voice. "I will show you a scary Vampire!" SMACK! His other hand landed on her other cheek after switching off the hand that was holding hers captive above her head. His tongue took its time licking down the side of her neck to the place where her pulse throbbed beneath her skin, and he bit.

Sookie screamed again, her walls fluttering around his hardness as she reached her peak one more time. Once again Eric tasted it in her blood and he followed after her, his white honey shooting deep inside her. As he gentled his thrusts so that both of them could ride out the aftershocks, he licked her wounds and kissed them. He rolled off of her and onto his side, wrapping his strong arms around her waist and pulling her back against his chest. Never able to get enough of her beautiful breasts, he stroked them absently as she dozed off for a few minutes.

The feel of her soft skin in his hands contented him like nothing else he could remember in his long existence. The simple joy of touching her was very natural and comforting. She was the first female in a long time, and maybe ever, whom he wanted to touch in a non-sexual way. He held her close, taking in her unique scent. She smelled like lilac, honeysuckle, and sunshine. She also had her own musky scent, the scent unique to every woman, that drove him not only to want to possess her, but to protect and revere her. He would put her on a pedestal and worship her, but at the same time he felt a need to dominate her in every way. For good or bad, their lives had intertwined and would now continue down the same path. He loved her with every fiber of his being and he would never let her go, even if she wanted to go. The witch's spell from all that time ago had done what it intended; it had led him to his heart's desire. Now that he remembered the simple, unrestrained, and in some ways innocence, of their time together, he was almost grateful to the witch for bringing them together. He knew, without a doubt, that if Sookie had never gotten to know Eric the man, that Eric the Vampire, Viking Sheriff might never have won her love. He would have taken her regardless because he simply couldn't live without her. He felt lucky to have earned the love that poured through the bond from her every second.

There were things to be done, and Sookie might fight him before she accepted what he had in mind for the future of their relationship. He didn't necessarily seek to put her under his thumb; instead he intended to exercise enough control, through the dominant warrior within him, to be able to predict her reactions to any given situation by teaching her to submit to him. He decided to leave her be tonight because she'd had a hard time digesting all of the information that had come her way. Tomorrow, however, would be the beginning of their new life together.

Eric pushed his knee between her thighs, cupped her mound with one hand, and caressed her breast with the other. Then he went into what Sookie called "down time," the unmoving but conscious state that Vampires learned to fill periods of non-activity when they weren't sleeping. Sookie sighed in her sleep and whispered "Eric," and she scooted back as close to him as she could get. In her sleep she patted around on her body until she found his hands where he had put them. She hugged his arm closer to her and sighed contentedly. It was in this state that Eric let the day pull him under, and his last thought was that, even in his human life, he had never felt so happy or complete.

O~O~O~O

There was a knock on the front door. Eric looked at Sookie inquiringly, and she scanned the heads of their visitors. The witches, Octavia and Amelia, were expected, but it was always smart to make sure you didn't get any unwanted surprises. Octavia's mind was hard to read and she sensed the presence of strong magic. Amelia, on the other hand, was a loud broadcaster. She was thinking that being asked to help the Vampire Sheriff was an honor, but she was more than a little bit afraid of Eric. Neither witch currently had any thoughts in their heads about harming or deceiving them.

"It's only the two of them, Eric," she assured him. "They mean us no harm. They are here to do the job you asked them to do."

Eric could smell the essence of magic around the two women, and also the fear in Amelia. He hoped that she would be able to overcome her trepidation long enough to do the job that was expected of her. Even though she hadn't detected anything suspicious, Eric asked Sookie to stay behind him while he opened the door with a welcoming smile on his face. He went into full Sheriff mode, gesturing broadly with his hand and inviting the witches in.

"Octavia, it is good to see you!" Eric said, turning around to beckon Sookie forward. "Sookie, this is Octavia Fant. Octavia, meet Sookie Stackhouse, my Bonded and Pledged.

Sookie reached out and grasped the hand Eric had held out toward her, allowing him to pull her forward and wrap his arm around her waist. She extended her right hand toward Octavia. "It's great to meet you!" she said with a smile. "Eric speaks very highly of you!"

Octavia shook Sookie's proffered hand. "Ms. Stackhouse, I'm very glad to know you!" She beamed at Sookie, showing a smile full of beautiful white teeth that contrasted beautifully with her chocolate-colored skin.

"Please, call me Sookie," Sookie replied, smiling inquiringly at Amelia.

Octavia took the hint. "Sookie, Eric, this is Amelia Broadway, my apprentice. She is very practiced in Fae magic."

Eric nodded and smiled at Amelia while Sookie shook her hand. Sookie had to control her expression carefully when Amelia practically jumped out of her skin. Eric had allowed his fangs to drop a little. Her arm was still around Eric and she pinched his ass, knowing that he'd intentionally scared Amelia. She felt a wave of lust come across their bond loud and clear, so strong that her knees almost buckled. She looked at Eric's face and he was smirking at her, one eyebrow raised in typical Eric fashion.

Octavia shrewdly surveyed the couple. She knew a thing or two about blood bonds and the magic that revolved around them. She could sense that this one was incredibly strong and wondered if they were able to read each other's thoughts yet.

"Can I offer you anything to drink?" Sookie asked the two, smiling. "We have tea, coffee, soda, whatever."

"Hot tea would be nice, if you have it," Octavia replied.

"Amelia?" Sookie asked.

"Yes, I'll have the same, thanks," Amelia smiled at Sookie, feeling more comfortable with her than with Eric.

Sookie left the room to prepare the tea, leaving their guests with Eric. She pushed a feeling of annoyance through their bond, the equivalent of rolling her eyes at him, which she would not do in front of company. He mentally laughed back, causing her to chuckle out loud.

Returning to the living room a few minutes later, she saw that Amelia was standing in front of a makeshift altar containing a picture of a beautiful woman, a mortar and pestle, and a few things she didn't recognize. She started to walk in a circle around the altar, holding a medium-sized knife, and pointed it straight out in front of her at several intervals, probably for north, south, east, and west. She was chanting something in a language that Sookie didn't understand, but from the look on Eric's face, he did. He was seriously interested in what was going on, watching intently with his sharp blue eyes.

Octavia spoke to Eric. "You said that you need the house protected against physical and mental intrusion?"

"Yes," Eric responded.

Amelia had finished her circle and Octavia stepped inside of it with her. They began to light candles, both women holding on to them as most were placed on the altar, while others marked the four directions (N, S, E, and W), on the edges of the circle Amelia had "drawn" with the knife. When nine candles had been lit and placed, Amelia knelt before the altar and drew several small containers out of a box that Sookie hadn't noticed before. The containers each held what looked like some kind of herb, and she placed pinches or spoonfuls of several into the mortar, grinding them with the pestle. Once ground, they were placed in a small glass container, which Amelia moved to hold over the flame of the candle closest to the picture. She began to chant again, in that language that Sookie didn't understand.

The herbs began to smoke, and suddenly the entire house was charged with magical energy. The hair stood up on the back of Sookie's neck and she felt a rush of power go through her. It wasn't uncomfortable; in fact it strangely gave her a feeling of relief, as though she no longer needed to worry. Eric looked at her and she knew he was feeling the same things.

Octavia, still inside the circle, turned to speak to Eric again. "Sookie is the one whose mind was intruded upon?" Eric nodded and smiled reassuringly at Sookie. "Will you allow us to extend the spell of protection directly into her?"

Eric looked again at Sookie, who would like to have told them that she could speak for herself. However, she knew that this was some sort of protocol and that Eric was perceived as her possessor as well as her protector.

"Sookie, will you allow this?" Eric requested.

Her stung pride was reaffirmed when Eric asked her, and she sent him love and gratitude through their bond. "What do I have to do?" she asked.

"Come here, and stand between us. Take both of our hands." Octavia explained.

Sookie obeyed.

Both witches turned to face her, and then they linked their free hands. They began to chant again. As the first words of the incantation were spoken, Sookie again felt the rush of power. This time it was stronger, and she felt like she was vibrating. Still linked together by their hands, the witches directed Sookie to turn to face the other three directions on the compass (they had started at East), and repeated the same incantation. A rush of what felt like wind entered her body and didn't leave. Instead it filled every part of her, and then quieted. Sookie knew that the magic was still within her and the realization made her feel safe. When they were facing East again, the two witches unclasped their joined hands and made a circular motion in the air. The candles went out, all but the one on the altar that stood next to the picture and had been used to burn the herbs.

Octavia turned to Sookie and said ceremoniously, "The circle is now complete within you. Join your mate so that he may share in your protection."

Sookie left the circle and walked directly to Eric without thinking, obeying Octavia's command. He looked a little reluctant, but he held out his hand. As soon as she took it, the white light that had always been present only when they were in bed together beamed outward. Instead of exploding, it peacefully dissipated like a mist or a cloud. Eric and Sookie looked at each other, astonished, and they both turned to Octavia with inquiring looks.

Octavia held up one finger and left the circle, leaving Amelia to walk around her circle again in the opposite direction of when she had "created" it. Finally she knelt in front of the altar, blew out the candle, said another incantation and placed one hand on her heart, the other on the picture.

"Amelia has completed the spells," Octavia explained. Then she smiled at Sookie. "You are very powerful yourself, Sookie! That flash of light you saw was made up of your own energy as well as ours. I've never seen it before."

Sookie looked at the floor bashfully. "So I've been told, but I really don't believe it," she said.

Eric was suddenly angry, tired of Sookie putting herself down and denying the magic that was inside of her. He took her shoulders and shook her. "Sookie, you will stop talking like that!" he demanded. "Here is one more affirmation that you are indeed powerful and meant for greatness, and you slough it off like it means nothing. I will not stand for it!"

"Eric…" Sookie closed her eyes and willed herself to be quiet. She was not about to start arguing with him in front of people after what he had done to her the other night. She opened her eyes and gave him a desperate look that said "_please, not now!_"

He could feel her internal conflict and he knew she wanted to argue with him. He was proud of her for keeping it between them and knew that his punishment had done its job. He also knew that she would let him have it when they were alone, and he wasn't looking forward to it.

The water had cooled off in the teapot that Sookie had brought in from the kitchen, and she excused herself to go to the kitchen and reheat it.

"Ladies, I will be back in a moment," Eric said, and followed.

Sookie felt Eric enter the kitchen as she stood facing the sink. She moved to put the kettle on the stove, and he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. She covered his hands with her own and leaned back into his chest, sighing.

"Sookie," Eric said gently, "I can not stand to hear you put yourself down like that. You are powerful; even Niall has told you this. Why do you choose not to believe it?" He turned her around and cupped her chin, making her look into his eyes.

"It doesn't feel real to me, Eric," she told him. "Even with everything that's happened it's hard for me to believe I'm anything more than a barmaid with a disability."

Eric's grip tightened on her chin for a second before he let go and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "It is not a disability! How many times do I have to tell you that? It is a gift that you should be proud of!"

"I'm trying Eric; I really am!" Sookie cried. "But you don't know what I've gone through and how I've hated it my whole life! Even my family thought I was nuts! I can't just pick up and change the way I feel about it. What if I am this 'Chosen One'? All it will do is bring me more trouble, and you right along with me! How can I be proud of that when I'm really scared to death?" He pulled her close and rested his chin on her head. She was calmed and comforted by his touch, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head on his chest.

"It does not matter what kind of trouble this brings," Eric reassured her. "I will never abandon you to fend for yourself, as I know many others have done. You are not alone in this!"

Eric's declaration meant more to Sookie than anything else she'd been told about her supposed destiny. Somehow she knew that, if he stood by her, she could get through whatever it was waiting for her in the future. "Promise me, you won't leave?" She pulled back to look up at him, her blue eyes round and frightened.

"Only if you promise to do the same," he answered, leaning down to kiss her softly.

She sighed and melted into him, his gentle touch soothing. "I'm not going anywhere, Eric."

"_You absolutely are not going anywhere,_" Eric thought. She had no idea how completely and obsessively he loved her. Even if she tried to walk away, he would never let her go. Anything or anyone who tried to separate them would feel his wrath. He was well known as a powerful and ruthless enforcer and there was good reason to fear him if you were an enemy. He was cold and calculating, and extremely violent when he needed to be. He hoped he would never have to show Sookie the greater part of that fact about him. He would maim, torture, and kill for her, but all she needed to know was that he loved her. "I am not going anywhere either, My Lover," he said quietly, tightening his hold on her.

They stood that way, not saying a word, until the kettle began to whistle. "We still have guests, Eric," she reminded him smiling up at him with a confidence that she hadn't had before their conversation.

"They can wait," Eric growled, cupping her head with both hands and pulling her close for a passionate kiss. His mouth slanted over hers, his tongue demanding entrance which she gladly provided. They kissed and kissed, their lips only parting so that Sookie could breathe.

It was only when Eric's hands started to roam over her body that Sookie decided to extricate herself from his hold. "We are being rude, Eric!" she admonished him. "We have all night to love each other." She smiled and winked, and he growled again.

"I will take that as a promise, Lover!" he told her thickly. There was a huge bulge in his jeans that he began willing to go down, so that they could have tea with the witches and get rid of them. He wanted his Sookie, and he wanted her now! But he had called Octavia all the way from New Orleans to help them, and he regretfully realized that he needed to be polite and thank her.

In the living room, Octavia and Amelia heard Eric's voice but couldn't tell what he was saying. By his tone, it was obvious that they were arguing at first. Then Eric and Sookie's words became softer and Octavia and Amelia couldn't hear anything at all. "I hope we didn't get her in trouble!" Amelia said quietly.

"Eric won't hurt her, hon," Octavia said. "He's the most honorable Vampire I know, and it's obvious that he's head over heels in love with her!" She smiled proudly, as though Eric was her son.

"If you don't mind my asking," Amelia said, "How do you know him?"

"About 20 years ago, the Queen of Louisiana sent her Vampires to look for me. They had heard of my reputation as a powerful witch and they wanted me to curse a Vampire named Felipe DeCastro. He was the King of Nevada at the time, and there were rumors that he wanted to try to take Louisiana." She paused.

"What does that have to do with Eric?" Amelia wanted to know.

"I told the Queen that my magic could not be used to curse someone, that I was not that kind of a witch. She didn't care. She demanded that I try. So I did. I conjured a spell that would make him unable to feed, and therefore weaken him over time. He was to be drawn to any of his fang bangers who had Sino-Aids or Hep D, both of which will make a Vampire sick as well as weak. Only those with a disease were supposed to appeal to him. When he was sufficiently weakened, the Queen of Louisiana would kill him and take over Nevada." She shook her head, remembering. "My spell didn't work. The King was never weakened; his ability to feed remained intact. The Queen ordered her most powerful Sheriff to kill me. That Sheriff was Eric."

Amelia sensed that they were getting to the heart of the story. She waited eagerly, her eyes encouraging Octavia to continue.

"Eric's reputation is that he is ruthless and cruel. When they came for me, I didn't fight them. I knew there was no way to hide from them. They brought me to Eric. I found out that Eric has no love for his Queen. Eric chose to hide me, letting me live in one of his safehouses. He told the Queen that I had disappeared."

"But you didn't disappear; you're right here!" Amelia exclaimed.

"Yes, I am, and thanks to Eric." Octavia smiled again. "I was under his wing, so to speak, for several months. During that time he visited me regularly and had his people see to my every need. I became very fond of him."

"But you couldn't hide out forever," Amelia said. "You are living your life, as far as I can tell."

"Yes, I am," Octavia continued. "While I was under Eric's care, I was able to create a spell that _would_ work on Vampires. It was sort of like what the Vampires can do to humans, glamour us. I told Eric about the spell, and how I would have to be in the Queen's presence to conjure it. He made a deal with me. He would get the Queen to come to Fangtasia, along with her favorite child, and lure them into his office. I would work the spell and make them forget who I was and why they wanted me dead."

"What was the deal you made with Eric?"

"I would allow Eric to glamour me, removing the spell from my memory. He couldn't have a witch walking around knowing how to glamour Vampires. I agreed to let him do it, and he was true to his word. He erased the spell from my head, but otherwise left my memory of the incident intact. He wanted me to remember how dangerous Vampires can be. I was able to return to my life like nothing had ever happened."

"But you said you were coming here because you owed Eric a favor," Amelia said. "He still wanted a favor from you after you let him glamour you?"

"Yes, that was the other part of the deal," Octavia told her. "But I would have come here to help him anyway, whether I owed him or not. I care about him and I think he needs my help. Things are changing around him; I can sense it. That little lady of his will take him for a wild ride!"

Before Amelia could ask any more questions, Sookie came back out with the fixins for their tea. "Eric will be back out in a minute," she said brightly, beckoning them into the dining room. She didn't tell them that his huge erection was what kept him hiding in the kitchen.

Eric didn't care if the witches saw how much he wanted Sookie, but she did. He'd agreed to stay put until it went down. As soon as she left, he started thinking of Bill Compton being with Sookie. That had the effect of a cold bucket of water being thrown over his head. "I am sorry to keep you waiting!" he announced as he came out into the dining room. The ladies had just started sipping their tea, and he knew it would be a while before they left.

"How long have you two known each other?" Amelia asked, less frightened of Eric now that Octavia had told her their story.

Eric and Sookie looked at each other, smiling as though they shared a private joke. "Well, we met under interesting circumstances," Eric began. Then he told them about Sookie coming to Fangtasia with Bill, and how the police raid had cut short their conversation. "From that night forward, I was determined that she would be mine," he said proudly, reaching over to grab her hand as it sat on the table. She smiled indulgently at him and rolled her eyes.

"He's not kidding!" Sookie explained. "He never missed an opportunity to hit on me whenever we saw each other."

"Hit on you?" Eric asked. "Sookie, I never hit you while I was pursuing you!" He frowned, his forehead creasing as his eyebrows came together.

That caused all three women to laugh. "It's an expression, Sweetie," Sookie explained. "It means that you told me you wanted me and talked about sex whenever we saw each other."

"Yes, I did do that!" Eric agreed. "Such strange expressions you humans have!"

"I really didn't like Eric very much," Sookie continued the story, giving Eric a flirtatious smile and a wink. "And I was trying to be loyal to Bill, another Vampire I'd met before Eric and thought I loved, even though my feelings for him were wearing off. Then I found out some things about Bill and broke it off with him." She didn't say specifically what had happened, not mentioning Bill's cheating on her with Lorena and his lie about the reason why he'd come back to Bon Temps in the first place. It still stung that he'd let the Rattrays beat her nearly to death just so he could give her his blood, and that he'd taken her virginity when he was really on a mission from the Queen to acquire her for her telepathic skills.

Eric picked up the story from there. "Last New Year's Eve, I was cursed by a witch when I refused her ridiculous demands. I lost my memory and Sookie kept me safe until we could get the witch and her coven, and break the spell." He rubbed Sookie's hand with his thumb and squeezed it fondly.

Sookie took up the tale. "He was different while he was under my care. He wasn't the Sheriff of Area Five; he was a man who'd had the rug pulled out from under him and he was more than a little bit freaked out. We fell in love with each other." She and Eric shared a look that made Octavia smile with joy. "But then he got his memory back and didn't remember what we'd shared."

"She would not tell me what had happened between us," Eric said. "Only recently did I recover my lost memories of that time. I went to her, determined. I was not taking _no_ for an answer."

"He showed up and tried to tear my house apart because I wouldn't let him in!" Sookie was able to laugh at the memory, a fact that didn't get past Eric. It made him happy to see her ease when talking about it.

"I was going to pull her house apart piece by piece. I was not kidding!" Eric explained. "We argued when she finally let me in, and I picked her up and brought her here."

"In my pajamas, no less!" Sookie laughed.

"That night her house was burnt to the ground by the enemies who are pursuing her," Eric said soberly. "If I had not gone to her, I might have lost her." Unable to stop himself, he scooted his chair back from the table, plucked her out of hers, and planted her on his lap. She protested for a few seconds but then smiled and rolled her eyes again. He put his arms around her and held on tight.

Octavia had listened to the tale with interest. "You went after her the same night as you recovered your lost memories?"

"Yes," Eric responded. "Why do you ask?"

"It just seems awfully coincidental, don't you think?" Octavia offered.

Eric looked at Sookie, and she nodded. "Go ahead and tell them, Eric," she agreed to his unspoken question.

"Sookie is part Fae," Eric began. He trusted Octavia and could find no reason not to extend that trust to Amelia. Sookie had scanned their thoughts and found nothing threatening. Neither of them knew that Sookie was a telepath. "There is a legend among the Fae that a female child born into Sookie's Fae family will unite the supernatural races and stop the warring. It also speaks of a bond with one who is of the darkness; me, essentially. They believe that Sookie is that child. There is a group that seeks to end her life before she can do what the legend says."

"Why would they want to kill her?" Amelia asked. "If she really can stop wars, who would want to prevent that?" Amelia hadn't spent much time around supes and knew nothing of their legends or beliefs.

Octavia spoke up before Eric could answer. "They are purists, bigots who believe that the Fae should not mix with humans or any other races. Am I right, Eric?"

"You are correct, Octavia. They want to seal the portals between here and the Fae realm so that Fae can no longer breed with humans. They also want to kill those who are not pure Fae but have some Fae blood, another reason to make Sookie a target." Eric was surprised to learn that Octavia was familiar with the problems of the Fae.

The wheels were turning in Octavia's mind. "You are believed to be the destined mate of the one who will unite the supernatural world. I would venture a guess that the timing of your recovered memories was not random, but deliberate."

Eric had pondered that before. "Yes, but by whom?"

"Another guess – I suspect they will reveal themselves before this is all over," Octavia said shrewdly.

"Are you able to stay in town for a time?" Eric asked next. "I may have need of you again. Of course I will pay for your lodging and other expenses."

Octavia had suspected that Eric might need her to stay longer. "I have nothing going on in New Orleans that can't wait. What about you, Amelia?"

"Actually, my apartment is still being fixed after Katrina caused a lot of damage. I already live in a hotel." Amelia was excited at the prospect of being part of whatever was brewing around Sookie and Eric.

Octavia yawned. "Your house is protected, as are both of you. Do you mind if we head back to the hotel?"

Both Eric and Sookie stood up to see them out. The same car that had brought them was waiting in the driveway. Eric had done a background check on the driver and found nothing suspicious. He also had extra security stationed at the hotel and both Vampire and Were guards posing as guests on the same floor where their suite was. He did not want to take a chance of something happening to Octavia and Amelia if their adversaries found out who the witches were and why they were in town. The guards stationed at the hotel were on alert for any Fae lurking, anyone who might be snooping around asking questions, and any Vampires known to be part of Felipe DeCastro or Victor Madden's entourages. The hotel was warded against the ability of some supes to POP into a room.

"I would ask that you do one more thing for me," Eric said. At their inquiring looks, he continued. "If you can protect yourselves against telepathic intrusion into your minds, please do so. I do not wish for anything to happen to you. I have guards stationed at your hotel, but you must be mentally able to stop a telepathic attack like Sookie endured."

Both Octavia and Amelia assured Eric that they would follow his instructions, and they departed.

Eric and Sookie immediately turned to each other. "Finally!" they both said at the same time, and laughed. They embraced and kissed, but to Sookie's surprise Eric did not go further.

"Lover, there are some things we must discuss," Eric said. His tone of voice was serious enough that Sookie didn't question him. She went to sit on the couch, and he joined her.

"What is it, Eric?" she asked him.

Now that the time was right for this discussion, Eric didn't know where to begin. He tried a safe topic. "We will be living in the entire house now that the wards are in place. We no longer have to stay below at all times."

"That's great! I can use the kitchen!" Sookie said lightly, but stopped again at the sight of Eric's serious expression.

Eric got up and went to the wall next to the door leading into the family room. There was a control panel that Sookie had never noticed before. "Come here, Sookie," Eric said. When she was standing at his side, he explained the purpose of the control panel. "This panel controls the shutters that cover the windows. I am going to insist that the shutters be closed at all times, because we do not want anyone to see you inside the house."

"Sure, that makes sense," she agreed.

"I prefer that you do not touch these controls, but if it becomes necessary, I want you to know how to do it." He went on to explain the series of buttons that had to be pushed before a 6-digit code was entered.

Sookie thought she could remember it, and watched as Eric closed the shutters. They completely blocked out the night, and Sookie felt a sense of safety once they were closed. Eric led her back to the couch and they sat together in their favorite position. Eric put one foot up on the couch and bent his knee; Sookie leaned back against his chest with his arms around her.

Absently stroking her forearms with his fingertips, Eric brought up the next topic of conversation, the one that was likely to make Sookie blow up. "Do you remember our discussion about my intention to be the dominant partner in our relationship?"

She did remember it; in fact he had mentioned it more than once. "Yes, I do. Why do you ask?"

"A lot of things are happening and I have not had the time to properly train you. I intend to remedy that, starting tonight."

"Wait a minute!" she demanded. "Train me? What the hell are you talking about, Eric? You make it sound like I'm a dog or something!" Then another thought hit her. "You are _not_ trying to turn me into a pet, are you?" She made to pull away and stand up, but he held on to her.

"Sookie, how many times do I have to tell you that I do not consider you to be a pet? Do not even think about that other word that you keep throwing in my face!"

She had, in fact, been about to ask him if he was making a slave out of her. After his outburst, she decided against it. "Then tell me, Eric. What exactly do you mean?" She folded her arms stubbornly. "Will you please let go of me! I want to look in your eyes when you say these things to me!"

Reluctantly, Eric released her, but only long enough for her to turn around to face him. He got ahold of her hands and held them so she couldn't move away. "What I mean, Lover, is that I will take care of you in every way. You will want for nothing. I will protect you with my life. You will look to me for everything and I will give you what you need."

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "That's the good side, Eric. Tell me the rest."

"All right," he said. "I will expect your complete obedience and compliance with my rules, which we will discuss in a few moments. Failure to do these things will result in punishment. You will not work, except on assignments that I approve of. I will negotiate all terms when your services are requested."

"That's not going to work, Eric!" she protested. "I have to be around people or I can't practice my shields!"

"For the time being you must stay in hiding, Sookie," he told her firmly. "We were lucky the other night that none of our enemies were watching the house or the bar."

"How do you know that?"

"Do you think I risked your life by taking you there? I had us followed. My own people were in the surrounding area, watching Fangtasia and making sure nobody was lurking around!" He explained, irritated that she was questioning him on this subject. "We are getting sidetracked. There will be no more discussion of your working until this situation is resolved!" He looked at her as if he were daring her to argue. She decided that he was right, for the moment.

"Fine, Eric," she told him tiredly. "Whatever!" She shook her head, unaware of the fire she had just lit under him.

"_Whatever_ is not an appropriate response, Sookie!" he cautioned her in a hard voice. "We are talking about your life here, as well as mine!" His hands gripped her upper arms so hard that they were going to leave bruises again. "Do you think this is a whim? I assure you; it is not!" He had let his fangs come down and made no effort to retract them. His eyes were narrow, calculating. Between his expression and the feelings coming through their bond, Sookie couldn't doubt for one minute that he was serious.

"What if I say no?" she asked him. "What if I don't agree to this… arrangement?" she finally said after searching for the appropriate word in her vocabulary.

"Sookie, I am not asking," he said in a serious tone, trying to communicate everything he could through is voice, his eyes, and through the bond. He paused to let that sink in. She couldn't refuse him, and he knew it – not without walking out of the relationship entirely. He wouldn't allow her to do that.

"Why are you doing this to me?" she asked, glaring at him. "Why now, of all times? As if I'm not going through enough shit right now! And you're trying to... I don't even know what you're trying to do! Chain me to your bed, or something? You know how I hate this possessive, macho Vampire shit you always try to pull on me!"

Eric's patience was wearing thin. "First of all, I am not _trying to pull_ any _Vampire shit_ on you! I choose right now to do this because I must. We have to be united as a couple before we can effectively combat our enemies."

"Bullshit, Eric!" She yelled at him. "This isn't about safety! Well, maybe part of it is, but that's not everything and you know it! This is about sex, and you being able to do anything you want because I've given up the right to say _no_!"

"You will lower your voice and stop speaking to me that way, NOW!" He ordered. "I am trying to have a rational discussion with you about the future of our relationship together!" Sookie's resistance infuriated Eric and he wanted to tell her that she had long ago lost the right to say _no_ to him. But he didn't want to make her any angrier than she already was. He changed his tactic. "You said that you trust me. Was that a lie?" His blue eyes were like ice as he waited for a response.

"Yes, I mean no, oh…! You know what I mean, Eric!" Sookie cried in frustration. "You know that I trust you! What does this have to do with trust?"

"If you trust me, why are you so upset about not being able to say _no_ to me?" He questioned. "Of course part of this is sexual, because I want to teach you about things that I enjoy, and that is only because of your inexperience! We have played with restraints before; did I ever do anything that scared or hurt you, or that you did not like?" Eric loved the sight of Sookie blushing, probably all the way to her toes, at that question. She shook her head but wouldn't meet his eyes. He gave her the smile of a predator, knowing that he was about to make his kill. She was quickly losing the argument he knew was going on inside her head.

Eric continued. "It is the Vampire way to be dominant in our relationships with humans, but I have no wish to humiliate you or demean you in front of others. If I must ask you to appear to be more submissive than I normally require, it will only be for your safety, or ours. We have, for the most part, been living this way since the night I brought you here. I have taken care of your needs and you have allowed me to make many decisions for you. Have I not acted in your best interest?"

"You haven't done anything wrong, Eric" she sighed tiredly.

"Then I do not understand the problem," Eric shrugged. "You are my lover, my companion, my wife, even though you will not acknowledge it." He paused to give her a dirty look. "You told Niall and Dr. Ludwig that our sex life is "different," and you almost killed the shifter for thinking I was abusing you. This is a natural progression."

"_In what universe?"_ Sookie thought. "I can't just hand over my entire life to you, Eric! Why can't you understand that?"

The thin rail upon which his patience had been balancing broke. He reached out and grasped her face, forcing her to look at him. "That is why I am not asking. I have altered my life to accommodate you, and you will do the same for me. If you accept me, if you want me, this is what I require. It will be better for both of us if you do not fight with me over this, because you will lose if you do. We both know that I can physically overpower you and force you into anything I want! I would rather not have to do that. I want to please you, and teach you how to please me." As soon as he said that, some rational thought managed to penetrate the red haze of his anger, and he realized that he sounded like an unfeeling tyrant. His grip on her face turned into a caress. "Sookie, I love you. I do not think it would be possible to live my life any more without you in it." Which was exactly why he would never let her go. He knew that she loved the man behind the Vampire. He also needed her to love the Vampire behind the man. This conversation had been long overdue.

She did not believe for one second that she was obligated in any way to stay with Eric. Sure, they had been told about some kind of prophecy that she was supposed to fulfill, but she could do that with any Vampire (if she was willing to believe in the prophecy at all). She didn't need Eric. She was wrong in this thinking, but she wasn't aware of it. They were tightly bound by magic much stronger than the blood bond between them. Trying to live apart from each other would be disastrous and might possibly kill one or both of them. Neither of them knew that, either. But it was with the incorrect assumption that she actually did have a choice that Sookie contemplated what Eric had said.

Eric was a Vampire. Ever since she had met Bill, Sookie had been bound to end up with a Vampire. They were the only beings whose thoughts she couldn't hear, the only ones around whom she felt she could be completely comfortable, and be herself. Eric had led a violent and dangerous life, and violence and danger would continue to surround him whether he was with Sookie or not. She knew that there was no way around that fact. But Eric was also one of the most feared and respected Vampires in existence. There was no question at all that he could, and would, keep her safe.

Sookie had had this conversation with herself many times, and realized that fact as she sat doing it again. There was only one difference this time. Eric had laid all of his cards on the table. When he'd mentioned being dominant in their relationship before, she really hadn't known what he'd meant. Since then he'd done things to her, good and bad, that she'd never even thought of, let alone experienced. He expected her to give herself to him so completely that she feared losing her identity. She would be giving him license to do whatever he wanted with and to her. He wanted her to trust him more completely than she'd ever trusted anyone in her entire life, and obey him without question no matter what he asked of her. Could she do that?

Eric had relaxed back into the couch cushions. He'd let go of her arms and had taken one of her small hands into his large one, interlocking their fingers. He was absently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. He watched her silently, his expression unreadable. It was important to give her the illusion that she had a choice, so that was what he did.

She sat staring at their hands entwined together and realized that there was no other hand on the face of the earth that she would want to be holding hers. She didn't understand why she kept questioning what she wanted. Time and time again she had come to the same conclusion. She _did_ need Eric, and not because of the prophecy. She needed him like she needed air to breathe. She knew that this time her commitment to him would be unbreakable, because once she gave that much of herself to him she would never try to take it back. Once you gave yourself to someone, mind, body, heart, and soul, the way she was about to give herself to Eric, there _could_ be no going back. She already knew what her answer would be. She would give him what he wanted. As much as she agonized over giving up the ability to say "no" to him, she understood that all she wanted to say to him, ever, in everything that would truly matter, was "yes." She finally looked into his eyes with confidence, sure in this decision to make what was, to her, the ultimate commitment to him. She tilted her head and smiled at Eric, pouring as much love and trust as she could through their bond to combine with the feelings she was showing in her eyes.

"This is really scary for me, Eric, but I will give you what you want and stop fighting you if you meet a few conditions."

He looked doubtful and asked "what are your conditions?"

"If I belong to you, then you belong to me. I don't want to dominate you because I understand that goes only one way." He nodded. "No fang bangers. No sex with them, and no feeding from them. No others at all! You won't tolerate sharing me; I know that. I want the same consideration from you in return."

Eric smiled and moved to pull her into his embrace.

"Hold on, Baby, there's more!" she protested. He sat back and folded his arms. "I know that to you we're married. But when it becomes legal here in Louisiana, I want to marry you the human way too."

"You want to marry me?" He was genuinely surprised. He'd thought that she would refuse to marry him if he asked. When she nodded, he said, "I more than agree to that!" with a wide smile on his face. "Is there anything else, Lover?"

"Be honest with me, Eric," she responded with a determined set to her shoulders. "How is this going to change our relationship?"

Eric realized that he needed to choose his words carefully so that he didn't frighten her more than he already had. "When you agree to submit to me, you are allowing me to own you completely. Your body belongs to me. Your pleasure and pain will come from me; I will give you everything you need. There will be rules to follow that we haven't had before. I will encourage your passion because I want it all to myself. We will do great things together, Sookie! The love we share has no equal! You will be completely, absolutely mine." His eyes darkened and he gazed at her with such intensity and feeling that her heart started to race.

Sookie was overwhelmed by Eric's words and a few tears leaked on to her cheeks. He reached out to wipe them away with his thumbs, tasting them as he always did. Before he could ask, she said "These are happy tears Eric. Everything is new, so strange and overwhelming!" She smiled, then hesitated before she went on. "Eric, even though you're not asking, I think you already know what my answer is. I'm yours. I've always been yours. I do trust you. I'm not gonna fight with you over relationship dynamics and I figure we'll just take things one day at a time. We're bound to fight over stuff but I appreciate your being honest about what you want."

He got the biggest grin on his face that she had ever seen and he kissed her passionately, almost desperately. This time when he tried to pull her close to him she allowed it. Instead of letting things get sexual, however, he wanted to talk a little bit more. "Sookie, you do not know what it means to me to hear you say that I have your trust as well as your love." Sookie settled into her favorite place in the whole world, leaning against his chest, and he felt comfortable enough to talk more about the way things were going to be. "We have many bridges to cross but you are right; we will learn as we go. I want to make sure that you realize one thing, though. Although I will always consider your opinion in our daily life, you do understand that all final decisions will be mine, right?"

Of course she did. Mr. High-Handed always had to have the last word, but his decisions were always the right ones. "Yes, Eric, I'm OK with that."

"I will expect you to obey me without question, even when I am asking something of you that you are not sure about. Remember that my goal will always be to bring intense pleasure to us both."

"I'll try, Eric. I really will. You know how stubborn I am. I love you and we're in this together."

"Do not think that I am taking away your will, because I am not," Eric continued. "You should never be afraid to ask questions of me. We will always talk and plan together." Then his face broke into a wicked grin and his fangs clicked into place. He waggled his eyebrows at her and said "I will _always_ want to have sex with you. That will never change!" His hands moved to her breasts and his thumbs brushed relentlessly over the nipples until they were stiff enough to be visible through her T-shirt and bra. He started at her earlobe and nibbled down the side of her neck, scraping her with his fangs and drawing tiny drops of blood, which he lapped up greedily.

Sookie giggled and laid her head to the side, giving him full access to her neck. She reached behind her and undid the fly of his jeans; she pulled him out and began to squeeze and stroke. Eric hissed and his touch became more demanding and one hand strayed beneath her shirt, pulling her breast out of her bra so that he could stroke, pinch, pull, and roll her nipple between his fingers. She moaned softly. Eric's other hand was also busy. He had unzipped her jeans and that hand was cupping her mound. His fingers found her clit and he stroked it until it was swollen with need.

"Eric!" Sookie breathed softly, arching her back to give him better access to her breasts and opening her legs wider.

He turned her to face him and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her lips with the passion of a thousand year warrior well versed in the art of conquest. She opened her mouth for him and his tongue met hers, each tasting and stroking the other until they were both moaning and gasping. He adjusted his position so that he could push her down onto her back, and his hand reached for the hem of the shirt she was wearing to remove it.

Suddenly, Sookie gasped with shock. An image had just entered her head out of nowhere. She pictured herself kneeling, naked, before a fully-clothed Eric, her hands tied behind her back, his cock in her mouth, his hands fisted in her hair. Everything south of her belly button began to tingle and throb.

Eric's eyes shot to hers as he felt her involuntary surge of lust from the vision. The same hungry lust surged from him to her through their bond and they were both lost in it. His expression started out confused, but it shifted to triumph in the blink of an eye. Maybe he couldn't see the vision she'd had, but he knew how it had made her feel! Eric was never one to ignore the opportunity to bed his Sookie, but he kissed her deeply before getting up from the couch.

"I will be back before you notice that I have gone, Lover." Sookie had barely had the time to sit up before Eric returned, holding something behind his back. He threw whatever it was down on the couch and moved over her, his arms wrapped around her as he pinned her down on the couch. He used his knee to nudge her thighs apart, and decided that it wouldn't hurt to give Sookie a lesson in their new relationship. He kissed her deeply and hungrily until she was gasping for breath. She had closed her legs in an effort to get more comfortable on the couch, but he nudged them apart again, this time roughly. "This is the first thing I will teach you, Lover," he rasped in his deep, sexy voice. "Never close or cross your legs in my presence. I will give you time to get used to it, but after that I will punish you if you disobey me."

"Oh, God, Eric, Baby, will you just shut up and fuck me already?" Sookie cried from beneath him, trying to pull him down to kiss her again. He resisted, and then Sookie saw what he had gone away to get.

He pulled a length of rope from behind him on the couch, and her eyes widened as she gaped at it. Then her eyes went to his, seeking confirmation that he, too, had seen the same vision. His next words left no doubt in her mind.

"Take your clothes off, Lover," he ordered. "All of them. I want you naked. NOW!"

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**ANNOUNCEMENT: NEW CONTEST - VALENTINES FAE TALES**

**Fairy tales usually have happy endings. We all know what has happened in stories like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White. It is usually a lot of romance where the princes come to the rescue.**

What happens when the prince is a Viking vampire or Cinderella is actually a telepath? How far can Sookie fall down the rabbit hole before Mad Hatter Eric catches her? What if Sookie fell asleep for 1000 years because of a curse and it took a young Eric to kiss her and break the spell?

Play with your imagination. Be funny or serious. Make it a mystery or an epic fairy tale romance. Whatever you are into, write your own version of a SVM fairy tale.

**More information (you know the drill - take out the spaces):**

**Official contest information: ht tp: / w w w. fan fic tio n. ne t/ ~va len tin esf aet ales**

**Official contest blog: ht tp: / val ent ine sfa eco nte st. blo gsp ot.c om**

**FanFiction Community: ht tp: / for um. fan fic tio n.n et /forum /Valentines_Fae_Tales_Contest/83101/**

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**I don't usually read AH stories, but let me tell you about one that has really captured my heart lately: _Night Cry_ by 22wolf.**

**ht tp :/ /w ww. fa nfi cti on .ne t/ s/ 5804701/1/Night_Cry**

**In this All Human tale, Eric (the eldest son of a Viking ruler) makes a sudden decision to wed Aine, a beautiful and charming lady who helps his Viking crew find the marketplace one morning. With the shadow of her past abuse hanging over their heads, can Eric convince Aine that he truly is the one for her and break down her barriers? Read on to find out.**

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**Last but not least, Eric has decided that he will not become a mormon missionary. Thank you all for reviewing and keeping him with us.**

**Now, however, something else has caught his fancy. He doesn't think he's getting enough attention here, so he is considering moving to the mountains of northern India to become a Jain monk. He will shave off his long, golden locks and take a vow of chastity. No sex, no meat, and no blood! Please, don't let Eric do this! Review so that he will stay here! ;-)**


	14. Chapter 14

******Happy Thanksgiving to my US readers who celebrate it! Many thanks to EVERYONE who reads, reviews, puts this story or me on their favorite or alert lists. You keep me going!**

******Many many thanks to my fantastic beta charhamblin, who took time out from holiday preparations to help me get this out. You're the best, girl!**

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******WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned!**

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**I do not own any of these wonderful characters. They belong to Charlaine Harris. No infringement is intended.**

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**Previous:**

**"Oh, God, Eric, Baby, will you just shut up and fuck me already?" Sookie cried from beneath him, trying to pull him down to kiss her again. He resisted, and then Sookie saw what he had gone away to get.**

**He pulled a length of rope from behind him on the couch, and her eyes widened as she gaped at it. Then her eyes went to his, seeking confirmation that he, too, had seen the same vision. His next words left no doubt in her mind.**

**"Take your clothes off, Lover," he ordered. "All of them. I want you naked. NOW!"**

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Chapter 14 - Pecan Pie

Sookie froze, stunned, her mouth gaping open in shock. How could Eric have seen that vision in her head? There was no way that he could have seen what had gone through her mind. She was the mind-reader; he wasn't! Could it be a coincidence that he wanted to play some kinky games at the exact time that she'd had an x-rated thought? Then there was the other half of the question. Why was she even thinking something like that? To tell the truth, it actually turned her on, but she would never want Eric to know that!

"Sookie? Did you hear me?" Eric demanded. He stood up from the couch, pulling her with him. "Do you want to start off our new arrangement with a punishment?"

She closed her mouth and focused her attention back on Eric. "But…" she started to say.

Eric didn't let her finish her sentence. "But nothing!" he insisted. "Do as I say, _now!_ I will count to three. One… Two…"

"OK, OK, all right, Eric!" she stuttered. She pulled clumsily at her T-shirt, fumbling to get it over her head and throwing it on the couch. She hastily stripped off her jeans and looked hopefully back at Eric, eyes wide.

He shook his head. "You heard me, Sookie. All of them. NOW!" He knew he was being rough with her but he felt like it was necessary. He was determined that she learn to listen to him and obey him without thinking, no matter what the situation. What was now a game might someday save their lives.

Her hands shaking, she reached back to unclasp her bra. Her fumbling fingers couldn't do it, and she looked at Eric again. "Would you?" she whispered, pleading with him to help her get it undone.

He cupped her cheek gently and leaned in to kiss her softly on the lips. "Calm down, Lover," he finally soothed her. "Turn around." She complied and he took care of it for her, his hands going to her shoulders to ease the straps down. He let his fingers work on her muscles for a few seconds, hoping that she would relax.

Still facing away from him, she stepped out of her panties. Slowly she turned to face him, one arm holding onto the other across her breasts, the other hand trying to hide her sex from him. She didn't understand why she was suddenly so modest. There wasn't an inch of her that he hadn't seen, touched, bitten, and/or kissed. She couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze.

"You have a beautiful body, Lover. Do not try to hide it from me. Your body is mine," Eric reminded her. He took both of her hands and held them away from her body. "Beautiful," he repeated, pulling her toward him and wrapping her arms around his waist. All traces of gentleness left him at that moment. His fangs clicked into place and he pushed her hair back, baring her neck to him. Nudging her head to the side, he nibbled, kissed, and licked her neck until he reached the pulse point. Then he bit hard, enjoying the way she jumped in his arms. She made no effort to get away, a fact that he took pleasure in.

As Eric enjoyed her neck, Sookie began raking her nails lightly up and down his back. He startled her when he bit, and she responded by squeezing his ass. He growled as he bit her, pulling hard on the wound. She could tell that he wanted to leave a mark, a sign that she was his.

Eric took only a full hard pulls of her blood before he closed the wound. With bloody lips, he claimed Sookie's mouth, forcing his tongue inside, demanding her submission. He grabbed a handful of her hair to keep her still. His other hand squeezed her breast, rolling her nipple between the fingers until it stood out, then pinching and pulling it hard. She let out a tiny sound in the back of her throat, a sound he enjoyed. He rubbed his thumb over her abused nipple to soothe it, and then he released her from their kiss and leaned down to run his tongue across her nipple. He sucked it into his mouth but did not nibble or bite. He released it with a gentle kiss. Then he straightened back up and turned her to face away from him.

While Sookie had been pulling off her clothes, Eric had rolled up the length of rope and shoved it in the back pocket of his jeans. Now he pulled it out and crossed her wrists behind her back, wrapping the rope around them and making an elaborate knot. He tested it and found that it was perfect; there was no way that she could escape it. It was tight enough to hold but not tight enough to cut off circulation. He had left a long, loose piece, and this he wrapped around his hand.

"Before we go any further, Sookie, there is something I need to remind you of." He couldn't neglect to give her a way out if something happened to stop her enjoyment of their activities.

"OK, Eric," she responded with slight confusion.

"Do you remember your safe word?" he asked her gently, tilting her chin up so that he could see her eyes. To his surprise, she giggled. "What is funny?" he wanted to know.

"Elephant." She repeated the word back to him. "Why such a silly word, Eric?" She was still smiling.

He laughed with her for a second but then sobered, wanting to make sure she understood that he was serious about her safety. "It should be a word that has nothing to do with sex or anything else that goes on," he explained.

She rolled her eyes and teased him. "Eric, you big, strong _elephant! _Your trunk is so big!" she giggled again and then became serious. "Now I get it. I won't be yelling that out in the throes of passion."

"Remember, I will not stop unless you give me the safe word. You are the one in control of it. I will not punish you for using it. If you cry, scream, or even yell _stop_ I will continue unless I hear the safe word." He wanted to make this last point very understandable. "Even if I know I am hurting you. Part of this is about pushing beyond and testing boundaries. Are we clear?" He leaned down and looked directly into her eyes without a trace of a smile on his face.

She nodded. "Crystal clear. Eric?" She laid her head on his shoulder, holding his gaze.

"Yes, Lover?"

She sent all of her trust and love to him through the bond. "Thank you for taking care of me. I love you!"

Eric could feel that she was nervous and needed his reassurance. "And I you, always." He leaned in to kiss her lips. The kiss started out soft but became more demanding as he deepened it. A low rumbling growl came out of his chest as he wound more of the rope around his hand, removing all of the slack, until there was nowhere for her to go.

He used his rope-filled hand to pull her roughly back against him. "Ohh, Lover, I like this very much!" he purred into her ear, taking his free hand and squeezing the breast that he hadn't been handling before. He proceeded to give it the same treatment, pinches and pulls followed by gentle caresses. He undid the fly of his jeans and pulled her bound wrists so that her hands were in front of his huge erection. "I have something for you, Sookie," he growled into her ear, scraping her earlobe with his fang. "Do you want to play with your new toy, Lover?" He splayed the fingers of his empty hand across her stomach and then moved them lower, his fingers moving through her curls to find her nub.

Sookie gasped with pleasure as Eric's fingers began to circle and caress her little button, teasing it softly and alternately stroking it with purpose. She gripped him and pulled him out of his jeans, unable to do much more than squeeze and fondle as he held her bonds so tightly. He used his knee to force her legs apart, reminding her to keep them open while in his presence. She was entirely his at that moment, able to do nothing but lean on him for support and respond to his attentions. His hand moved even lower until he dipped two fingers inside of her, curling them against her inner sweet spot while his palm provided needed friction to her sensitive spot outside.

Her hips began to move in time with his fingers and she threw her head back against Eric's shoulder. She rolled her head to the side, giving him access to her neck, and he nuzzled her until she stiffened under his hands. Her knees gave way and he used his grip on her ropes to hold her against him while she cried out his name and came almost violently. She thrashed against his hold, moaning and calling his name again. His hand left her lady parts so that he could wrap his arm around her waist, and he struck, his fangs sinking into the soft skin of her neck. He moaned against her, intoxicated by her taste mixed with the smells and sounds of her climax.

Sookie was delirious and her body felt like it had turned to jelly. The feel of Eric's lips on her skin while his fangs pulled at her life's blood drew out the aftermath of her orgasm. Her hips still bucked softly as his fingers caressed her stomach and hipbones, also very sensitive spots.

When Eric finished with her blood he used his grip on her bonds to turn her around to face him. He cupped her chin and leaned down to kiss her with his still bloody lips. She tasted the salt of her own blood and pressed against him, hampered by the way he was using her bound hands to control her body. As she tried to hold on to their kiss, Eric drew back and didn't allow her to stand on tiptoe to maintain contact.

"Kneel down for me, Lover," Eric coaxed her, helping her to get to her knees before him. She gazed up at him in anticipation, eagerly waiting to see if this encounter would go the same way as the vision she'd had. He used his toes to nudge her thighs apart. "When I tell you to kneel, or get on your knees, I want you to spread your legs for me, like this," he instructed her, his expression sober and his voice soft but firm. She nodded and did her best to obey him. "Sit back on your heels when I allow you to relax in this position. You may do that now, for the moment." She found that it was easier to balance with her knees apart when she could sit back. "When you are not bound, you will clasp your hands behind your back and keep them there unless I instruct you to do otherwise. I will be lenient at first because we are just starting out, but after a while I will punish you if you forget. Do I make myself clear?"

Sookie nodded, breathless and unsure whether he wanted her to speak or not. His firm voice and stern manner were having quite the effect on her body. She was trembling with want, extremely turned on by his domination of her. When he forced her to keep her thighs apart, she was sure that she would drip some of her hot juices onto the carpet. If Eric didn't touch her or fuck her very soon, she thought she would burst into flames.

Eric knew exactly the way she felt. Not only could he feel it through the bond that united them, but he could smell the thick perfume of her arousal. He wanted to lay her back and fuck her until she screamed, but he knew that he had to appear in control to credibly maintain his confident and dominant demeanor. He would never have guessed that his Sookie would enjoy this kind of scene; she was such a spitfire! But the more control he exercised, the hotter (he could tell) she became. He was hard pressed to keep his own extreme need for her beneath the thin veneer of his dominant persona because of the way she affected him. Knowing exactly how to stoke the fire that burned between them, he continued his lecture.

"When I ask you a question, I expect you to answer me. When you answer me, you will always use my name." He smiled and touched her cheek tenderly, breaking out of his tough-guy persona long enough to reassure her of his love for her. "I do not want you to call me 'Master," My Lover. Such role-playing is beneath us." Then, he slipped back into his dominant role. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Eric," she practically purred at him, lowering her eyes beneath her thick, full lashes to show him proper deference. He didn't miss the way she regarded him hungrily before she did it.

"Sookie, look at me!" he suddenly demanded. She immediately stared back up at him in alarm, wondering if she'd done something wrong and spoiled their new game. He reached out again and touched the same place he'd touched a moment ago. "What did I tell you, about hiding your eyes from me?"

It took her a second of confusion before she remembered one of the first times he'd mentioned his need for dominance to her. _Rule number one,_ he had said, _no hiding your eyes from me!_ "I'm sorry, Eric!" her voice was full of remorse. "I had forgotten." Tears threatened to spill onto her cheeks but she kept her eyes glued to his as she silently waited for whatever he would do.

"Do not forget again!" he commanded her.

She nodded silently. "I won't, Eric; I promise!" she whispered.

"Make sure you do not!" he threatened. He had been loosely holding the end of the long length of rope that was tied around her wrists, and now he quickly wound it tight. This action forced her to straighten her back and lift up off her heels to stand straight up on her knees. He further pulled the rope so that her wrists were pulled high up between her shoulder blades, her elbows bending outward behind her. This position forced her back to arch and her breasts to push forward. With his free hand, Eric roughly squeezed her tender flesh, pulling one nipple outward so hard that the sudden sharp pain brought fresh tears to her eyes. She threw her head back and gasped, never moving her gaze away from Eric's. Her breath came in short pants as she waited to see what he would do next. Loosening his hold on her abused nipple, he caressed it firmly with the pad of his thumb until it stood at attention for him. He pulled harder against the rope that bound her wrists, causing her breasts to thrust forward even more, and repeated his harsh treatment with her other breast.

After caressing her nipple back to attention, he held it firmly between his first and second fingers, pulling her upper body toward him and causing more strain on her already aching wrists. His eyes were glowing, dangerous, and he licked his lips through his menacing, fangy grin. Shifting his grip on her nipple to his second and third fingers, he used his thumb and forefinger to unbutton his pants.

"_When did he have time to do his pants back up?"_ she wondered.

He let go of her nipple and fisted her hair in his hand, never reducing the pressure on her bound wrists. He gripped her hair hard enough to pull it while forcing her face forward. "Take the zipper down," he ordered softly. Before she could acknowledge what he'd said in any way, he said, "Take it down with your teeth!"

Gingerly, trying not to get her lips get caught in the zipper, she grimaced and moved forward to bite the zipper with her front teeth. She succeeded on the second try, and gently eased it downward. It was difficult for her to do, the way he was gripping her hair. As soon as the zipper was undone, she was hit full-force with the deliciously musky, Vampire-laced, too-sexy-for-words scent that was unique to her Eric. Her newly enhanced sense of smell made his fragrance all the more delicious. She took a deep breath and leaned into him, nuzzling against the coarse hair at his groin and the soft feel of his velvet shaft as it sprang free. He was going commando this evening! Yum! Sookie took a few seconds to gently rub her cheek against his hardness, back and forth like a cat marking a newfound toy with its scent. As much as Sookie wanted to nudge him completely out of his jeans and devour everything he had to offer, she knew that to go much further without seeking his permission would be a mistake. Stroking against his silken skin one last time with the bridge of her nose, she pulled back only far enough to meet his eyes with an inquiring look.

Sookie's reaction to springing his cock free of the confines of his jeans was almost Eric's undoing. Only barely did he stifle the moan that threatened to burst forth from his lips when she nuzzled and stroked her skin against him. He waited, still as stone, to see what she would do. If she tried to do anything at all with her mouth before he told her to, he was ready to yank her back by the hair. He couldn't tell how she knew, maybe by instinct, that she needed to ask permission. When she raised her eyes tentatively to his, he could have burst with the pride and love he felt for her. He sent it to her and her eyes closed.

She only kept her eyes closed for a few seconds. The feelings Eric was sending to her made her shiver, and she leaned into him for support. Some women might feel degraded in this position, kneeling before their lover, bound, silently asking permission to suck him. But those women didn't have a live wire right to his heart, by way of the blood bond she shared with Eric. While he dominated her, he didn't seek to humiliate or otherwise hurt her. There would have been no way for him to hide something like that from her. She opened her eyes and leaned in to him as much as she could, rubbing her face against him, quickly getting lost in her own desire. A tiny sound, almost a whimper, found its way from the back of her throat, and she bit her lips to keep herself quiet.

He felt every emotion that coursed through her. He had pulled her to him with force and decided he no longer needed it. He let go of most of the coil of rope around his hand, keeping hold of only the end. As the tension on her wrists was taken away, her shoulders relaxed and her wrists dropped down to rest in the small of her back. She could have moved away from him, but she didn't. Instead, she sighed with pleasure and nuzzled against him with her cheek, never lowering her eyes. His fingers in her hair also relaxed so that he was no longer pulling, but his grip remained firm. His eyes were full of love even as his words were demanding.

"What do you want, Lover? Tell me!" he insisted, huskily, tightening his grip on the back of her head.

"I want you, Eric!" she replied breathlessly. "I want to taste you! Oh, God, Eric, you smell so good!" She leaned in, as close to him as she could get, and managed to rub her cheek, her neck, and her shoulder against his hardness.

"Take it easy, My Love! Slow down!" he tightened his grip even more, holding her still. She relaxed against his hold, breathless, her eyes anxious, waiting. He didn't know how much longer he could stand to draw this out. The second the scent of her arousal had begun to permeate the air, his fangs had clicked into place and could not be contained. He showed her those fangs now, growling slightly. "You mentioned something about a big, scary Vampire last night?" His eyebrows waggled at her and he gave a wicked sexy grin.

If Sookie ever had any fear of his fangs at all, she'd more than lost it by now. Her eyes darkened and zeroed in on them, her own smile playful and seductive. "I said I'd be good, but maybe you'd like it better if I was bad!" She amplified her southern accent and poured as much sex as she could into her soft, feminine voice.

Eric lost his battle to be stoic and unmoving. He reached into his jeans and pulled out what she had been waiting for all night. She looked at it like it was the prize you got at the bottom of the cracker-jack box, only a thousand times better. "I think I _would_ like it better if you were bad!" He growled again. "Very, very bad, as a matter of fact. Show me! Show me just how bad you can be!" This was a moment he had dreamed about but never really thought would happen. He'd wanted her in this exact same position the moment he'd seen her at Fangtasia that very first night. Completely submissive to him, wrists tied behind her, on her knees and about to pay homage to his cock. By the Gods, what had he done to deserve such a woman? The best part about this was that she was completely willing. In reality, it had been her idea! The fact that he had read her mind was not lost on him, and he was sure she also knew what had happened. Once she had projected it at him, there was no way he would ever turn it down. He was a man, after all!

Holding her head still, he rubbed his hardness over first one cheek, then the other. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, and he stopped until she opened her eyes and looked up at him again. He moved the head against her soft lips, watching as she smiled and her tongue darted out to taste the drop of moisture at the tip. At the first touch of her tongue, he hissed through clenched teeth, forcing himself to let this happen, to draw out the intimacy of this experience for both of them. He could feel through the bond that she was enjoying it every bit as much as he was.

She didn't stop there. Her tongue appeared again, this time to move slowly through the slit at the tip, then making its way around the edge where his head met his shaft, finally drawing the entire head into her hot mouth for a very long and sensual version of the French kiss. His grip tightened in her hair and she knew that he fought to stay in control.

Eric wanted to force himself into her mouth and fuck her face until every drop of come his body could produce had been shot into her throat. Instead, a moan came from deep within his chest, followed by another primal growl. "Ooooooohhhh, Sookie!" he breathed, his throat feeling hoarse. As soon as his eyes refocused he realized that his grip on her hair was hurting her, and that he was forcing her to be still. He didn't let go, but his touch softened, stroking her scalp lovingly as she continued to explore him.

Sookie turned her head to briefly rub her cheek against his palm, and then she set about exploring the underside of his swollen rod. Her tongue licked firmly down his seam until she'd arrived at his balls. She gently sucked one, then the other, into her mouth, scraping each one lightly with her teeth and making him jump slightly. She may be kneeling before him with her hands tied, but she loved the power she had over him when she did this. Who else in the world could make Eric Northman moan and turn to jell-o? His hips bucked gently back and forth, his muscles shaking with the strain of trying to be still.

She licked him all the way around and under his balls, then moved back up to lave her tongue over the top at the base of his member. She kissed her way back up toward the head, lapping at him while her teeth very gently nipped and scraped against his sensitive flesh. She could hear him panting hard above her, even though he didn't need to breathe. Finally arriving back at his tip, she opened her mouth wide and sucked in as much of him as she could, relaxing her throat and calming her gag reflex. She realized that she was able to take more of him than before and briefly wondered why that was. Then she concentrated on the task at hand.

She would pull him into her throat and make a swallowing motion which gave him the feeling that she was sucking strongly at him. Still in the mood to play with him a little, she kept her movements slow and deliberate. After the third or fourth time of her taking him carefully into her throat, his grip tightened in her hair and prevented her from pulling back. She didn't fight him. Instead she made humming and moaning sounds, the vibrations adding to his body's pleasure and excitement. He would only allow her to move out a little ways before pushing her back down. He was insistent but not brutal, and she loved every minute of it. She used her tongue, teeth, throat, and her strong ability to suck to bring him to the edge, and when she knew he was about to come, she eased her ministrations, wanting to draw it out for him. She locked eyes with him and he held his fingers over the base of his cock, trying to hold himself back from coming yet.

Eric didn't know where Sookie had learned how to give him pleasure this way, and he was thoroughly surprised at some of the ways she used her tongue or moved her head. Thinking about it was getting in the way of his ecstasy, so he banished the thought.

Sookie felt something distract Eric for a second and then began to suck him in earnest. As their gazes locked together, Eric's hand again became hard and demanding in her hair. His moaning became louder and she was ready to bring him home. He added his other hand to tangle in her locks and she gave herself over to him, letting him push and pull her the way he wanted. She kept up the motions with her tongue and throat, humming and moaning to increase the vibration. Then the muscles in his thighs, hips, and stomach clenched as he reached his peak, holding her to keep her still. She swallowed, and swallowed, and swallowed again, accepting everything he gave her and loving it. She sucked gently at him to pull out every drop of his sweet essence, making him tremble through the aftershocks.

Eric swore that he had never come so hard in his thousand-plus years of existence. As Sookie bent to lick him clean, he reached down and exuberantly lifted her to her feet, sweeping her into his arms and kissing her with everything he had to give. "Sookie, oh, my Sookie, my Lover!" he crooned to her, burying his head in her hair trying to hide the bloody tears that had formed in the corners of his eyes. The joyful emotions that she had just brought out in him were overwhelming. There weren't enough words to describe the gift she had just given to him in a single act of submission. It was so much more!

He had never let go of the other end of the rope that bound her wrists, even as he'd fisted both hands in her hair. As he held her against him, he tightened the slack, giving her nowhere to go. He turned her around and inspected her bindings. "How do your arms and hands feel, My Lover?" he asked, checking for circulation, bruising, or other marks that would show that this was hurting her.

"Well, I don't want to walk around for the rest of the night like this, Eric," she smiled at him. "But it doesn't hurt, and they don't feel numb or anything."

"I will release you shortly, Lover," Eric promised. He led her to the dining room and sat her down at the table. When she was seated, he pushed her knees apart. "Remember," he commanded softly, kissing her on the lips. Then he straightened and went into the kitchen, leaving a very confused Sookie in his wake.

Sookie had no idea why, but she guessed that Eric had seated her here, in this position, for a reason. She trusted him, so she sat silently and waited.

Eric returned five minutes later with a tray on which there were several covered dishes. He seated himself at the head of the table and set the tray down at his left, opposite of where Sookie sat. As Eric started to remove the covers from the dishes, Sookie smelled something tantalizing. Her eyes moved from Eric to the plate of food he uncovered, suddenly famished as she saw the steak, broccoli, and red roasted potatoes. There was a wine glass on the tray filled with a red substance that she guessed must be blood for Eric. But why had Eric brought a meal out here if he intended to leave her hands tied behind her? She didn't understand, and was about to ask him what was going on, when he spoke.

"Sookie, what you have given me tonight is far beyond anything I could have ever hoped for." He reached out to cup her cheek in his palm, and she leaned into his hand, turning to plant a kiss on it. He smiled and caressed her face and neck before pulling his hand away. His fingers lingered on the deep bite he had given her earlier, the one that would take a little longer to heal. "You have given me a priceless gift – the gift of your self. Part of our new arrangement involves me taking care of you. I take that commitment very seriously." He leaned forward, his forearms on the table. His eyes burned with the intensity of what he was feeling. Sookie would have reached out to embrace him had her wrists not been bound. He seemed almost nervous, a condition that she would never have associated with Eric. "To symbolize my commitment to you, I would have you eat from my hand."

"You want to feed me?" She asked him, thoroughly surprised. Now was not the time to be thinking of Bill, but Bill had never been able to be around her when she ate. It didn't get past Sookie that Eric wasn't asking. He fully expected her to agree, and if she didn't, he would probably hold her down and force feed her. Not very long ago, the old Sookie would have jumped up and told him to go fly a kite. But this Sookie was touched by his gesture, this simple way to take care of her. Eric had never before shown her such tenderness. _"In for a penny, in for a pound,"_ her Gran had always said. She needed to embrace this new life wholeheartedly. The feelings humming through their bond from Eric told her exactly how much this gesture meant to him. There was no way that she would shoot him down as he sat expectantly. She smiled brightly at him. It was a genuine smile, not the old "Crazy Sookie" smile she had worn so often at Merlotte's. "OK, Eric, I would love that."

His answering smile was enough to make Sookie's heart flutter. Of course he heard it and his eyebrow went up along with the trademark Eric smirk. But then he was all business, and the nervous Eric came back out again. "I have not done this before," he admitted. "You will have to tell me how small to cut the pieces."

They spent the next half-hour laughing and talking as Sookie taught Eric how to feed a human. Eric stopped every once in a while to take a sip of his blood, but he concentrated mostly on Sookie. After the third time Eric spilled sweet tea on her, Sookie begged him to get her a straw. There just happened to be one included in the meal, which she found out that Eric had asked Pam to deliver. As soon as Eric had made the decision to act on the vision he'd shared with Sookie, he'd texted Pam and ordered her to purchase and deliver a meal from the same restaurant he'd flown off to the other night.

The thought of Pam being somewhere in the house while she was on her knees in front of Eric horrified Sookie until he explained that Pam had only stuck her hand inside of the back door to put the bag on the counter, under threat of severe punishment by Eric. That made Sookie feel better.

"Doesn't this strike you as a little bit weird, Eric?" Sookie asked him in between bites.

His forehead crinkled. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I don't know," she tilted her head to the side. "I mean, look at us. I'm sitting here, well, like this," and she looked down at her naked body before continuing, "and I'm perfectly fine with it. It's actually fun, having you feed me. We're acting like we do this every day."

"Maybe we _will _do it every day," he answered, waggling his eyebrows at her and giving her a fangy grin. The grin got wider when a blush spread over her entire body and he heard her laugh, shaking her head at him. But he understood what she meant. "You are more, what is the word, accepting of me than I ever thought you would be." He wanted to spend every day for the rest of their lives showing her how much he appreciated that fact.

"This is not what I ever thought my life would be like, you know," she smiled tenderly at him. "Even with all your demands, and your Vampire nature, it's easy for me to be with you. I don't know why I fought it for so long. I don't ever want to be anywhere else, or with anybody else, than right here with you. I don't know why, but I just needed to tell you that."

Eric's undead heart swelled in his chest. He got out of his chair and fell to his knees in front of her, then he reached out to pull her into his arms. He could feel the bloody tears in the corners of his eyes. "It took me a thousand years to find you, Sookie," he said huskily, his voice full of emotion. "You are my eternity. My existence is no longer possible without you. I will never let us be apart!"

She was comforted by his words and leaned in to him, pressing her warm body against his cool one. Eric growled at her, a familiar sound now and one that brought shivers of pleasure to her more so than fear. "Maybe we can finish our dinner before it gets cold?" she suggested, knowing where his mind was headed. Probably in the same direction as his hands. Due south.

Regretfully he let her go and sat back in his chair. He smiled playfully at her and held a forkful of potato in her direction. When she leaned forward to take it, he pulled it back and kissed her instead. "Mmmmm," he said. "I am enjoying my dinner indeed!"

"Eric!" she laughed, and he concentrated on getting her fed so that they could play.

The steak dinner and most of Eric's blood meal consumed, Eric produced another dish from the tray, this one containing a slice of the pecan pie that he knew she loved. "I'm not sure if I can eat that, Baby!" Sookie exclaimed. When Eric started to look hurt, she explained quickly. "I'm full!"

"Oh, I think you will want to eat it!" Eric stated confidently. He stood up, swept her into his arms, grabbed the pie, and zipped back to the master bedroom. He deposited Sookie in the corner of the room and tied the loose end of her rope to a lamp. He set the pie in the middle of the bed, of all places.

"What are you doing?" she laughed as he walked away from her, deliberately shaking his "world class ass" as Sookie liked to call it.

"You will stay there, and that is an order!" he said sternly, dramatically lowering his brows down over his eyes to look like he meant business. Sookie laughed and thought about telling him how cute he was. Somehow, she surmised, Eric wouldn't like to be called _cute_, so she held her tongue.

When he had finished doing what Sookie would from that moment on refer to as the "Eric Strut," he turned to face her, standing next to the bed. He made a show of unbuttoning each button of his shirt, then shimmied a few times as he pulled it off, swung it around, and threw it at her. Sookie giggled in delight and licked her lips. "Whoooo! Take it off, Baby!" she yelled.

"I think I shall have to punish you for that comment!" he declared, appearing suddenly behind her at Vampire speed. His hands palmed her breasts and he squeezed them, enjoying the feel of their weight in his hands. Then he pinched both nipples hard enough to make Sookie gasp. "No!" he stated adamantly. "That will not do! Perhaps I will tie you with your legs spread apart and beat you with my knight stick!" Sookie giggled again as she felt him "whip" her backside with his cock a few times. "No! That is not it, either!" Then she felt his fingers encircle her bound wrists and caress her arms up to her shoulders. He whispered darkly in her ear, "I hereby reserve the right to punish you for insubordination at a time, and with a method, of my choosing!" His fangs scraped her earlobe and traced a path straight down her neck. She could feel that he was drawing blood, and the feel of his tongue lapping it up confirmed her suspicions.

"Eric!" she breathed, leaning back against him.

His hands moved from her shoulders, back down her arms, grasping her wrists once again and then caressing her ass. His fingers stroked her folds for a few seconds before he used his hands to push her legs apart again. "I grow tired of reminding you!" he hissed into her ear, and this time he was serious. She could tell.

Sookie's body had gone into overdrive with all of Eric's confusing attentions. She didn't know if she wanted him to fuck her, punish her, or put her back on her knees in front of him again. He moved away as quickly as he'd come, and stood back at his original place next to the bed. He began the striptease routine all over again, gyrating and pumping his hips in a very tantalizing manner while he slowly peeled his jeans off. She knew he had nothing on underneath. She licked her lips in anticipation.

Finally as naked as she was, Eric sauntered over to her and put his arms around her. She melted into his embrace. As she leaned against him, he finally untied the ropes that bound her wrists. She moved her arms and wrists tentatively, not surprised to find a stiffness in them. There were red marks on her wrists where the ropes had been. Eric caressed and kissed each wrist before leading her back to the bed. He piled the pillows and lounged against the headboard and seated her between his legs, massaging her shoulders and upper arms. She made sure that she sat cross-legged so Eric couldn't get mad at her for forgetting his instructions again.

"We will heal you later, Lover," he promised her. "But are you sure you do not want to try some of your pie?" He scooped up a portion of it, generously covered with whipped cream that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, and teasingly pulled it back away from her when she opened her mouth. As she chased after it, laughing, he dropped it. It landed on his chest. "Oh, look at that!" he pouted. "I am so clumsy. Now what are we going to do?" He looked at her, eyes smoldering and fangs on display.

"Eric!" she pretended to scold him. The word _clumsy_ was not something she would ever associate with him. "What a mess you made! Now I'm going to have to clean it up! What am I going to do with you?" She sighed dramatically and got to her knees, turning around and leaning in to him. With her face about an inch from what he had dropped, licking her lips, she took her fingers and picked it up, neatly tucking it into her mouth. "Mmmmmmmm!" She made exaggerated sounds of pleasure. "I guess that since I can't trust you not to make a mess, I'll have to do this myself!" She reached for the plate.

"Not so fast, My Lover!" His quick hand snatched it out of her reach. "Let me try again. I promise I will make it up to you." He raised his brows and gave her puppy-dog eyes.

She rolled her eyes at him and folded her arms. "All right, you have one more chance!" she told him firmly. "But I expect you to do it right!" She lowered her brows and gave him her best impression of himself when he was looking mean, barely able to keep a straight face.

Eric's lips twitched as he watched her imitate him. Still playing with the puppy-dog eyes, he made a show out of carefully sectioning out a piece of pie that was shaped in an exact triangle, scooping it up, and holding it out for her. Of course, as soon as she moved to take it, he dropped it again. This time it landed on his stomach. "Oh no!" he scolded himself. "I did it again!" This time he stuck out his bottom lip in addition to giving her the puppy-dog eyes.

Sookie sighed again, louder and more dramatic. She was barely able to stifle a giggle as she pulled her brows down closer to her eyes and frowned. "Why do I always have to take responsibility for your messes, mister?" She shook her head at him. "You made me get my hand dirty last time! Now I can't even pick it up!" She moved back away from him, never taking her eyes from his, leaned down, and slowly licked the sugary goodness off of him. She deliberately left some cream there so she would have an excuse to lick him again.

Gracious Plenty stirred and began to make his presence known.

"Do you think you can do it right this time?" She asked Eric.

"Yes, definitely!" he promised. He scooped out another big bite, held it out, and promptly dropped it. On his thigh.

"Eric, this is the best pie I have ever tasted!" she told him. "I don't think I can stand to waste a single crumb." She backed up and began to lap it up, chasing crumbs and whipped cream closer and closer to his thickness.

Sookie didn't know what hit her. Suddenly she found herself pinned beneath a large and very horny Vampire. He wasted no time sliding into her in one hard thrust. She gasped at the delicious sensations that one movement had caused inside of her. Then a devious little smile played around the corners of her mouth. "But what about my dessert?" she pretended to complain.

"I thought you were full!" he growled at her. He laced their fingers together and emphasized his words by pulling back and thrusting again, deeper than before.

She gyrated her hips beneath him and he made a sound somewhere between a moan and a growl. As he enjoyed her movements, she breathed at him, "No, I wasn't full. But I am now!"

The loud sound in his chest intensified and his fangs came out to play. "It is my job to make sure that you are full and satisfied," he told her gruffly. "I take my job very seriously!"

She couldn't take any more banter. "I know you do, Eric!" she told him. "And you are very good at it!" She moved against him again. "So shut up and do it, why don't you?" She whispered with a grin.

This time he really did growl. "At your service, my lady!" he said, and he started working to make her a Very. Happy. Customer. And he did.

The pecan pie that had started all of this sat, neglected and forlorn, on the nightstand where Eric had managed to move it before he'd attacked his Sookie.

OoOoO

Some time later they lay in a pile of tangled limbs, sated and still. Eric had gone into downtime while Sookie dozed. She stirred and rolled onto her stomach, laying her head on her hands on Eric's chest.

Gazing deliberately into his eyes, Sookie thought at him, _"Are we going to talk about the fact that you can read my mind now?"_

He tilted his head and smirked. _"So, you admit that tonight was your idea?"_ Sookie blushed ten shades of crimson and he laughed, then he reached out to touch her face. _"This is very important for us, Sookie! I think you know that."_

"_I'm not sure how I feel about it, Eric,"_ she thought back at him. _"All my life, I couldn't date because I could hear their thoughts, and now I can hear yours!"_

Eric suddenly realized that this was painful to Sookie, something he had never considered. He thought it was a great asset that they could use for many things. He sat up and gathered her into his arms, kissing her forehead. "I am sure that there is a way for you to block me out, if that is your wish," he said out loud.

"Well, sure, I always have my shields!" she sighed. "But I don't want to have to shield while we're in bed together!"

Eric had a thought. "Did you hear what I was thinking earlier, while we were… busy?"

"No!" she answered him. "I didn't! I didn't even think about it then!" She looked at him with a confused expression.

"Let's do an experiment," he suggested. _"Can you hear me?"_ he thought directly at her.

"_Yes, I can hear you,"_ she thought back at him.

"_How about now?"_ he thought in the general direction of the doorway.

No response.

"Sookie?" he said.

"Yes?"

"Think something, but don't think it directly at me."

"OK" she responded. _"Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas…"_ She began to recite the US states in alphabetical order. "Did you catch that?"

"No, I did not. It would seem, then, that we have to be thinking at each other to hear. Does that make you feel better?" Eric wasn't sure how he felt about what he perceived to be a limitation of their new ability. It made Sookie happy, though, and that was a consolation.

"_I love you, Eric!"_ she projected at him, followed by a replay of their pie-eating scene earlier.

He wasted no time reaching over to retrieve what was left of the pecan pie, wilted whipped cream and all, and presenting it to her with a grand flourish. With a sultry smile, she picked out a piece of the pie with her fingers and smeared it on his left nipple. She bent to lick it clean, biting and sucking on the nipple after it was clean. Eric relaxed back to let her continue. She repeated her action on his right nipple, then followed it by dropping more pie onto his belly button. She moaned softly as she cleaned the pie thoroughly away. The last of the sugary goodness in her hand, she winked at Eric and smeared it onto his hardness. It was his turn to moan as she lapped it up slowly and very thoroughly. She used her tongue to lick every last inch of him clean before taking him completely into her mouth again.

Before Sookie could settle into her task, Eric stopped her and repositioned them so that she was on top of him, straddling his face. As she took him back into her mouth, she gasped at the feel of his lips on her nub. Eric was using his magic tongue to drive her quickly to ecstasy. She used every trick in her arsenal to bring him to the edge right along with her. Eric seemed to catch on to what she was thinking, and the feelings humming through their bond were unmistakable. As each felt the other come close, they brought each other over the edge together, Sookie eagerly sucking and swallowing everything that Eric gave her. His tongue delved deep inside her sheath to lap up the nectar she released with her climax. Before she could move away, Eric turned his head and bit into her thigh, enjoying the aftermath of his own orgasm while he tasted and smelled hers in her blood. He let his bite go deep, once again feeling the urge to mark her as his. That compulsion had been strong this night.

Eric licked the wounds he'd made on Sookie's thigh and then gathered her into his arms. She sighed and closed her eyes. There was no need to talk. Everything they needed to say surrounded them and coursed through their bond. Basking in the glow of their love and the safety of Eric's strength, Sookie drifted off to sleep.

The sound of Eric's phone ringing brought him out of down time much later. He knew it was close to dawn; he was starting to feel its pull. He was instantly on alert. There was no innocuous reason for anyone to call him right now. Carefully settling Sookie onto the pillow next to him, he raced to the phone.

"What?" he yelled into it, not bothering to look at the caller ID.

"We have a problem, Eric!" Pam's voice came through the line. "We need to call the cleaners."

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**The cleaners? [Insert Scary cliffhanger music here] What could have happened now?**

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Since Eric isn't originally from America and actually knows what went down at that first Thanksgiving feast, he doesn't really care about it. He was, however, intrigued by the pilgrim costumes with the big hats and buckled shoes. He's found a group that lives out in the country and keeps to the old ways, even worse than the Amish. He talked about moving out there to stay with them. Please, show Eric your love and tell him not to go! We need him to stay! Review button is below.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Hi everyone! Remember me, the deadbeat who used to update once a week? I'm sorry about the delay. The only excuse I have is a nasty bout of writer's block! I will try not to let it happen again. Bet you all thought that Eric had made good on one of his threats, eh? I hope you'll forgive me.**

**This chapter is shorter than most of my other ones but I wanted to get it out.**

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**Special thanks to briniava for filling in as my beta so I could get this out tonight. I appreciate ya, girl!**

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******WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned!**

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**I do not own any of these wonderful characters. They belong to Charlaine Harris. No infringement is intended.**

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**Previous:**

**The sound of Eric's phone ringing brought him out of down time much later. He knew it was close to dawn; he was starting to feel its pull. He was instantly on alert. There was no innocuous reason for anyone to call him right now. Carefully settling Sookie onto the pillow next to him, he raced to the phone.**

**"What?" he yelled into it, not bothering to look at the caller ID.**

**"We have a problem, Eric!" Pam's voice came through the line. "We need to call the cleaners."**

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Chapter 15 - What a Mess!  
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Eric's body snapped to attention. "Explain!" he barked in typical Eric fashion, glancing over at his sleeping Sookie and padding from the room as quietly as possible.

"We had closed the club and gone about our various endeavors," Pam began. This meant that she had been spending time with one of her current paramours. Eric could never keep track of them. "When my phone rang, I thought it was you because of the hour. An unknown voice urged me to check the club before dawn. I could smell the blood before I went inside." She paused, and Eric made a sound of impatience. Pam was as efficient a killer as he knew, and he could see no reason for her to be squeamish about telling him what had happened. "Things will have to be replaced," Pam continued. "I do not know how many humans were killed to make this mess. We found no bodies... intact."

"The origin of the call?" Eric demanded. He had Vampire sources in the Shreveport Sheriff's office and assumed that Pam had thought to use them.

"Disposable cell phone. Bounced off a tower a mile or so from Fangtasia."

Whoever had called must have done so from the parking lot. Eric glanced quickly at the clock. There was time to make it to Fangtasia but he could not hope to be back before dawn. He did not want to leave Sookie alone, nor did he want to take her to witness the gruesome scene Pam had described. Fangtasia was light-tight. He could go there and not worry about the sun if he stayed inside.

"Master, there is more," Pam interrupted his train of thought. "Your throne. It was… defaced."

"Pam, I care not about a few blood stains!" he responded.

"I know," she told him. "There is a head. It was left on the seat. It was a girl, a blonde girl. She very closely resembles Sookie." Pam didn't have to voice her opinion of the matter because Eric was thinking the same thing, but she did anyway. "I think this is another threat to your Bonded, indirect as it may be."

Eric suddenly realized that it was very possible that their conversation was being overheard, so he spoke very carefully in a code that he and Pam had prearranged. "And what of the draperies behind the throne, Pam?"

She hesitated a split second before responding. "Ruined. May I expect you here within the hour?"

"Yes, I will make haste." He hit the end button on his phone and walked back in to the bedroom he now shared with Sookie. He would have to wake her.

Ten minutes later, Eric ran out of the house and took to the air. He quickly disappeared into the moonless night sky.

Four people wearing black melted out of the darkness of the forest along the back of the property. One of them gestured with his hands, stopping the movement of two nearby security cameras.

"Are you sure that she is alone?" a female voice whispered.

"Naeve, you do not have to whisper!" chided the male standing next to her. "You saw Northman; he left. There is nobody out here but us!" He snickered.

"Lochlan!" a deeper voice intoned. "The Vampire is tricky. We cannot be too careful." He closed his eyes and probed the darkness toward the house with his mind, finding only one brain signature inside the house. He smiled at his companions, removing the headset microphone that had allowed him to overhear Eric's call on his cell phone and pocketing it. "He has gone to Fangtasia to deal with the… mess. She is alone and not in the lair below. We will take her!"

Naeve laughed, a trilling sound that did not go with her dark nature. She flashed sharp teeth with a glint of silver. "The first bite is mine!" She was a vicious creature and loved to shed blood.

Breandan, the leader of the group, turned to the fourth member of their party, who had been silent up until now. "You have done well, Vampire. He will not be able to get back before the sun rises." The only reply he received was a stiff nod.

At Fangtasia, a cleaning crew consisting of Vampires and Weres had arrived. Before anything was touched, a 3D scanner was brought in to take an image of the scene, preserving everything as it had been left by the perpetrators. Blood spatters and pools, body parts, furniture and general destruction were recorded to be inspected later. A Vampire with a particularly keen sense of smell had walked through, using highly absorbent special pads on areas where he detected individual scents laced with fear and/or adrenaline. Each pad that he used was sealed inside a plastic bag so that it did not mingle with others. The scents of those who had done this were stronger than those of the customers who had been in the bar that night because everything had been wiped down and sterilized by the humans who closed the bar every night. The scent pads would be analyzed later to see if they were familiar to Eric, Pam, and anyone else who would be investigating what had happened. After the scan and scents were taken, cleanup could begin.

The Weres were doing most of the actual cleanup work, mopping up blood wherever it could be cleaned, and piling up items that had to be thrown out. The Vampires were clustered around Eric's throne. One held a very expensive-looking camera and was taking pictures of the blond woman's head from several different angles. They were discussing the best way to preserve it as evidence.

The cleaners were also forensic investigators who were able to analyze evidence in a secret lab. Humans did not know about it and only very high-ranking Vampires outside of the cleaning crew knew the location. Eric was one of those Vampires. Technology was one of the reasons the Vampires had decided to reveal themselves to human society. Forensics technology had become so highly advanced that it wasn't practical to think they could hide themselves forever.

Finally the head was bagged and moved into the walk-in freezer to take back to the lab later. Because of the nature of the crime and Eric's position in the community, human authorities were not going to be notified of the incident. It was cruel, but the humans who had been killed would not be identified to human law enforcement. Their families would have to wonder how they had disappeared. Vampires were highly secretive about their hierarchy and methods of law enforcement. It was Eric's job to oversee the investigation, and not because it had happened at his bar. As the local Sheriff, he was expected to take charge.

As the sun rose, the Vampires took shelter in Fangtasia's basement, where accommodations were kept for just such things – Vampires who for some reason hadn't left the bar in time to get to their resting places before sunrise.

On the edge of Eric's property, the four figures easily scaled the wall and advanced toward the house. They were brimming with excitement and anticipation, sure that their prey was as well as within their grasp. They didn't talk, instead moving silently forward, eyes scanning for any sign of danger. They had to hurry because the Vampire in their group could not survive if outside after sunrise.

They walked side-by-side and so all four of them bumped into the barrier at the same time. It gave them a shock, like an electrified fence, and threw all of them backward onto the ground. The Vampire was the first to get up. Hissing and baring his fangs, he moved forward with outstretched hands, once again encountering the invisible shield. He stepped back and looked at Breandan, as did their other two companions.

"Fucking wards!" Breandan sneered. "The Northman has hired witches to ward his property!" He stood, stretching out his hand to help Naeve to her feet.

"There has to be a way!" she exclaimed, turning to him in frustration. "My Lord Breandan, you are more powerful than any witch!"

"Calm yourself!" ordered Breandan. "I was able to reach her with my mind before. I will do so again. She will come to us!" He focused his gaze intently upon the house, reaching out with his thoughts. _'Sookie, we mean you no harm. Come outside child. You will come with us, now.'_ The others stared at him, willing him to succeed.

A light appeared, stretching itself out upon the darkened lawn. In the distance, the back door had opened. A woman stood framed in the doorway.

'_Yes, my dear! You cannot see us but we are here. We are waiting for you, love!'_ The light disappeared, and a figure began to move across the lawn.

Suddenly a roar sounded from above them. They saw only a blur and a flash of steel, and Lochlan's head rolled across the lawn. Confusion reigned for a split second, but that was all it took for Naeve and Breandan to disappear with a POP!

Eric landed next to the dead Faery, enraged, eyes glowing, brandishing a sword, looking like the angel of death. For Lochlan, that was exactly what he was. Both Vampires turned toward the body of Lochlan, intoxicated by the smell of his blood. _'Feed, fuck, feed, fuck!'_ was all that they could think. The blood had mostly drained from the body and had pooled all over the grass, seeping into the soil. Being closer, the unknown Vampire reached him first. The Vampire was young and had no self control. He grabbed the body of Lochlan and started to lick the clean edges of the bloody stump that had once been his neck. The blood continued to seep out of the body and the Vampire rolled in it like a cat in a field of catnip.

Being much older and used to the essence of fae blood from tasting Sookie, Eric was able to control his blood lust after a few seconds. He looked at the stranger, who was now covered in the blood of Lochlan, disgust rising like bile in his throat. Eric moved at Vampire speed to the stranger, putting his boot solidly in the middle of his chest and stopping his frantic movements. He was no match for Eric, who towered over him, his blade at the Vampire's throat. The Vampire was nearly hyperventilating, even though he didn't need to breathe.

The body of the dead Faery started to disintegrate and turn into Faery Dust. Eric watched as all of the blood turned to dust along with the body. The stranger's face, hands, and clothing looked like they were covered in ash.

"Please, please don't kill me!" he begged, squeezing his eyes shut and going still.

Eric kicked him in the ribs and heard a very satisfying crunch. "You attempted to take what is mine!" he sneered. "A coward who runs with Faeries and then feeds off the blood of his companions! You will look at me when I speak to you!" He kicked the Vampire again, in the same spot, and pressed his blade in just far enough to draw a trickle of blood.

The Vampire's eyes opened wide in horror and fear. He lay there, shaking, waiting for Eric to kill him.

Two other Vampires appeared out of the forest but Eric didn't even look up. He was expecting Pam and Clancy, who stopped just a few feet away. "Master," Pam said, bowing her head. The wind started to blow, sending a shower of Faery Dust toward Pam and Clancy. Both their heads snapped in the direction of where the body had been, the scent still strong in the air. Pam growled in frustration as she realized there was nothing left of the Faery to drain.

Only then did Eric look up from the terrified Vampire's face. "Pamela!" he demanded her attention in his Sheriff voice. "You will ignore the scent of Fae! As your maker, I command you!" Pam was breathing hard, her fangs elongated, her eyes glowing just like Eric's. Clancy's fangs were also out and he was stalking toward where the body of Lochlan had been moments ago. He dropped to his knees and sniffed the ground, unable to control his lust for the blood of the dead Fae.

"You will take this filth to the warehouse and chain him with silver. I will deal with him later," Eric commanded, taking control of the situation. "Clancy! Get up and listen to me! Now!" With difficulty, Clancy rose to his feet and shook his head as if he were trying to rid himself of a bad memory. He fell in beside Pam and bowed his head to Eric.

Following Eric's orders, Pam and Clancy stepped forward and hauled the terrified Vampire to his feet. The idiot decided to try to run. He wrenched himself from their grasp and spun around, only to be stopped by Eric, who caught him in a chokehold. As he spun, blood from the Vampire's bleeding neck wound splattered onto Pam.

"Shit!" she exclaimed. "This outfit is brand-new! I will never get the blood out of it!" She walked over to the strange Vampire, who was weakly struggling in Eric's grasp, and kneed him in the groin. Eric let go of him just as he let out a high-pitched squeal and doubled over, falling heavily to the ground and moving into a fetal position.

Clancy shook his head and rolled his eyes, dragging the Vampire to his feet one more time. This time he was in no condition to struggle. Pam walked over and gripped the Vampire's cheeks, peering intently into his face. "Master, I do not recognize him. He has not come to register or swear fealty to you. Why don't we just kill him?"

Eric actually laughed, a dark, deadly sound. "That is precisely why I have spared his life, for now." He stared meaningfully at the Vampire, who shrank back into Clancy as though he would protect him. Clancy hit him in the back of the head. "He is very young, less than a decade old. He will tell me who made him and why he is trying to harm MY Bonded. Clancy, I trust you can handle him alone?"

"Yes, Sheriff," Clancy intoned, nodding respectfully.

"That is good. Take him now. I will speak with Pam alone."

Clancy nodded again and dragged the young Vampire away, covering his mouth with his hand when he began to yell for help.

Eric turned to Pam, who had produced a handkerchief from somewhere and was dabbing disdainfully at the blood marring her pink blouse. "You should have killed that fucker," she said. "He smells of Compton."

"I will kill him, but not until he has given me some answers," Eric replied. "I did not want to reveal to him that we sensed who his maker was. Let him think that he can deceive us. What is happening at Fangtasia?"

"The cleaners are there now," she reported. "They have scanned the room and collected other evidence for you to examine later."

"That is good," Eric commended her efforts. "There is much to discuss, but for now we must take shelter. Will you stay with us today?"

Pam raised an eyebrow in a very Eric-like fashion and her fangs ran out. "Will you be sharing?" she simply asked.

Eric growled. "You know very well that is not what I meant!"

She laughed. "I know you very well, Eric. If I cannot get under your skin, who can?" There went the eyebrow again.

Eric closed his eyes and shook his head. "Pamela, you will stay in your usual room if you wish." With that he started walking toward the house. Pam rolled her eyes and followed.

When Eric was within a few yards of the house, he made a phone call. "You may go now," was all he said. He waited for a moment before going in the door. He took a deep breath and his eyes glazed over as he again smelled the essence of the Fae. This time he would not ignore his blood lust, as his Sookie waited for him downstairs. He would fuck her senseless and they would exchange blood as many times as they could before he went to rest. As fast as his legs could carry him, he streaked through the house and the security doors until he reached his lair.

Pam, who had her own private room with a private entrance, had disappeared into it.

Sookie had been pacing back and forth, feeling like a caged animal, since Eric left. Someone was out there trying to get to her again. She was growing sick of it! She had powers that she didn't know how to use and was frustrated. Instead of crying, she was angry. As she paced, little sparks of blue light lit the air behind her. She didn't notice them.

Finally she heard the sound of the security doors opening and she turned expectantly toward the entrance to the sanctuary. To her disappointment, it was not Eric who came through.

"Aren't you glad to see me, cousin?" the musical voice of Claudine greeted her. She moved quickly to Sookie and enveloped her in a big hug. After a second's hesitation, Sookie hugged her back. Claudine was one of the most beautiful women Sookie had ever seen. Easily six feet tall, she had long dark hair framing a delicate face with flawless skin and vivid green eyes. She always seemed overdressed when Sookie saw her, and this was no exception. Claudine wore a deep blue halter-top dress with an empire waist and delicate embroidery around the neckline and hem, which was just above her knees. She had matching high-heeled peep-toe sandals on, rhinestones decorating the straps. She was pregnant, and her baby bump was barely showing. As they drew back from the hug, Sookie smiled widely at Claudine. It was impossible to stay upset or tense around Claudine. But as she stepped away, Sookie's expression darkened with worry.

"Where's Eric?" she wanted to know. Eric had woken her and only briefly explained what was going on. It was something about an accident at Fangtasia and a possible attempt on her life. He had held her tightly to him and kissed her like he would never see her again. It had brought tears to her eyes. They had gazed at one another for a moment, each lost in the other, Eric's fingers softly caressing her cheek. He had promised to return as soon as he could, and he had ordered her not to try to go upstairs under any circumstances. She thought that was a silly thing to say since he hadn't given her a code to work the security doors herself. He had kissed her softly once again, and rushed away.

"Eric hasn't got them yet," Claudine explained. "He thinks they're trying to lure him away to get at you."

"Why are you here?" Sookie wanted to know.

"I am the bait," Claudine replied, smiling widely as though they were sharing a joke between them. "Because of the wards the witches put on you, Breandan can't sense your mind. He can, however, sense mine." She laughed gleefully and clapped her hands together.

Sookie didn't understand the need for mirth. "No, you can't do that, Claudine!" she cried, dismayed. "The baby! If there's a dangerous Faery out there, you need to go!" She stared at Claudine, beseeching her with her eyes to listen.

"Sookie, nonsense!" Claudine said. "Eric has not left us alone. We will be fine. He sent me down here to tell you what we're going to do."

"Which is?" Sookie was tired of being the last to know everything that was going on.

"You will stay down here. I will go upstairs and pretend to be you." Claudine acted as though this were an everyday occurrence. "Eric thinks they will try to get you to come out of the house. I will open the door. When they are watching me, Eric will get them!" She whispered conspiratorially as though they were two schoolchildren sharing a secret.

Suddenly, Claudine's phone rang once.

"That's the signal!" she explained to Sookie. "They are outside. The show is on!" She kissed Sookie on the cheek and practically danced up the stairs, willing the doors behind her to shut and lock. Eric had invited her into his home so that she could get past the wards and perform her magic inside.

"Great!" Sookie said to herself, going back to her pacing. Realization dawned on her at once; she had forgotten to ask Claudine when she could begin to help her to understand and use her powers. Then again, she thought, Eric would be the one to make the rules. She just had to follow them.

Upstairs, Claudine changed her mental signature to appear to be Sookie to the intruders. As she felt Breandan's probing of the area, she smiled grimly. Breandan was once beloved to her kin, an ally in the war against other supernaturals. It was only when he turned against humans and half-breeds that he had become her enemy. If not for the need to protect Sookie, Claudine would go out and slaughter him now.

She raised her hands to her head, and as she smoothed them down along her long locks, the color changed to blonde. The wards would not allow Breandan to detect her magic and she wanted to appear, from a distance, to be Sookie. When Breandan called to Sookie with his mind, Claudine opened the door and stepped out, ready to do battle if Eric somehow failed.

She watched Breandan and his minions scale the fence and start to walk toward her, and then Eric swooped down out of the sky. Flight was a very handy talent to have, she thought to herself. Eric didn't need her help as the two remaining live Faeries POPped away. She had no sorrow for Lochlan's death. He was almost as vicious as his sister.

She was startled to see a Vampire in the group of troublemakers. Why would Breandan align himself with a Vampire? As one of Eric's Vamps hauled the struggling stranger away, Eric and Pam started to walk toward the house. She went inside. Her phone rang again, and she heard Eric's voice as she answered. "You may go now," he said brusquely. She didn't need to be told twice. With a POP she disappeared.

Sookie had stopped pacing and sat down on the bed. She leaned forward and put her head in her hands. She hated waiting like this. Eric was only trying to protect her but she didn't like the idea of him putting himself at risk for her sake. No matter how powerful Eric was, she would still worry. Nobody was invincible, and she couldn't imagine life without him.

Finally she heard the sound of the lock being released on the door. It opened and closed very fast and suddenly Eric stood in the doorway. "Eric!" she cried, running to him. He held out his arms and she jumped into them, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips. He supported her easily with his hands on her bottom. She laid her head in the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply, taking in the smell that was uniquely Eric. She sighed with contentment.

Eric was not the least bit calm or content. He was high on the smell of Faery. He'd smelled Claudine in the upper house, and she had obviously been down here too because her scent was everywhere, especially on Sookie. As she laid her head down on his shoulder her neck was bared to him. He turned around and pinned her against the wall so that he could hold her with one hand. Then he struck, sinking his fangs in deep and growling aggressively. He felt Sookie's heartbeat quicken and she made a little sound of surprise. Eric took his free hand and sliced open his neck with his fingernail, drawing blood. As he fed greedily from her, he turned her head and pressed her into the wound. She didn't hesitate. She latched on and sucked hard, releasing a passionate moan. He growled again and, keeping one hand under her rear end and the other wrapped around her back, turned and strode toward the bed.

The mutual blood exchange excited both of them and they felt their desire through the wide open bond. There was no way to block the bond in a moment like this. This was pure ecstasy. Eric planted her on the bed and licked the wound he had made in her neck. His own cut had healed. He rose above her, eyes possessive and predatory. He felt the need to claim, to dominate. Her own eyes darkened and a secret smile brightened her face, a smile that was only for Eric in moments like this.

Eric touched the side of her neck where he had bitten her, tenderly stroking his fingers along her collarbone until he reached the neckline of her top. He grasped it and, in a split second, ripped it from her body. Her bottoms swiftly followed and she was laid bare before him. He licked his lips, still bloody from taking her blood, and bent to kiss her mouth. The kiss was hard, hungry, their blood intermingling, tongues battling for dominance. Eric won. His lips kissed a fiery trail along the same path where his fingers had been until he found her breast. His tongue ran around and around the nipple while his hand palmed the other one until both nipples stood at attention for him. Suddenly he bit one and pinched the other. Sookie cried out and arched into him. A low growl rose in Eric's throat and he scraped his fangs along the side of her breast, drawing blood and licking it up to close the scratches.

"Eric?" Sookie breathed, reaching her arms out to pull his weight down on top of her. He resisted. He was still fully dressed, and he roughly kicked her legs apart with his knees while reaching to undo his belt. He couldn't wait any longer and moved his hand to undo his pants. The relief was immediate and intense. His cock sprang forward, its soft, velvety head dripping with precum, and he used the moisture to tease her clit, around and around.

He couldn't resist the urge to run his fingers over himself before pushing his pants down to his ankles. He grabbed her hands and held them above her head in one hand while positioning himself at her entrance. She cried out again and he pulled her bottom lip into his mouth, drawing blood with his fangs and sucking on the tiny wounds. "Sssshhhh," he whispered.

There was nothing tender about this coupling. He shoved into her, growling again as he laid claim to her body. She was ready for him, dripping wet, hot, and tight. She wrapped one leg around him to hold him to her, arching and bucking to increase the contact. "You are mine! Say it, now!" he commanded in a rough voice, sinking himself inside of her to the hilt.

"Yes, Eric, I am yours! Forever Eric! Yes!" she responded, looking directly into his eyes. They both felt the truth of it through the bond and he growled again, this time with satisfaction.

Eric pulled out suddenly, but only long enough to flip her over and enter her from behind. He put one hand in between her shoulder blades, holding her down while he spread her legs again and pounded mercilessly. Her cries were muffled by the bed clothes. She started to wiggle around, trying to meet his thrusts, and he used his free hand to spank her, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to get her attention. She arched her back to give him better access and stilled her movements.

In a matter of just a few minutes she felt the familiar tightening in her core. Her stomach muscles clenched and she opened herself to Eric as much as she could. She moaned loudly and he spanked her other cheek. She hissed through her teeth and suddenly the ecstasy bloomed inside her. She couldn't help but to cry out again. "Eric!" she cried. "Oh, yes, oh God!"

This time Eric didn't spank her; as he felt her walls tighten around him he started to pound faster until he was at Vampire speed. Seconds later he followed her, shooting his precious seed deep into her body, over and over. He bit into his wrist and hauled Sookie up against his chest, presenting her with the wound while he sank his fangs into her neck again, just below where he'd struck the first time. He slowed his thrusts, moving languidly inside of her as they both came down from the aftershocks. Their blood mingled inside of them as the now familiar white light surrounded them. This time the light was gentle, a contrast to their hard and fast mating.

Pulling his fangs out of her neck, Eric lowered them both to the bed, lingering on top of and inside of her for a few seconds. She relished this intimate and tender contact, humming happily against his wrist. He hardened again inside of her but, after a few gentle thrusts, pulled out and rolled onto his side, pulling her up against his chest. He kissed the spot where he had bitten her and saw the goosebumps rise on her flesh.

Sookie turned to face him, burying her head in his chest and wrapping her arms tightly around him. He embraced her in the same way and they clung together, the bond humming inside of them. They were silent as no words were necessary to express what they felt at that moment.

Then Eric pushed Sookie on to her back and rose above her. She was relaxed and opened her legs wide and willingly for him. He lowered himself down until his weight was on her, also supported by his forearms on either side of her head. He kissed her long and lingeringly, his thick length nestled against her core. He moved his hips to create a gentle friction between them as she moaned into his mouth. Her tongue found each of his fangs and paid homage to them. He made a sound of satisfaction deep in his chest. He traced his fingers down along her body, touching the side of her breast, the curve in that was her waist, down along her hip bone until he found his own shaft and moved it into position.

This time he slid gently into her, lingering with each stroke as he continued to kiss her. Eric wanted to worship her body. His hand moved between them to tease and caress her swollen nub. This time it was slow, gentle, tender. He tongued her nipple and scraped his fangs over the stiff peak, earning a hiss of pleasure and pain from Sookie. He kissed his way across her chest to give equal attention to the other breast, Sookie arching her back to get closer to him. He used his weight to hold her down, still while he moved inside of her. The dominant beast, while a bit tamer, was still very much in evidence.

Their noses rubbed softly together and they touched foreheads, eyes open and souls laid bare to each other. As Eric increased his movements inside of her, Sookie reached for his lips with her tongue. He responded with another long, slow, hot, passionate kiss. As their lips parted, she breathed into his mouth, "I love you, Eric."

He smiled at her. "And I you, my Sookie." He brushed her hair lovingly off her forehead and kissed her softly, lingeringly.

Sookie melted into Eric's embrace like warm butter. By the time she was done kissing her she felt like a puddle on the bed, she was so relaxed. She wrapped her arms around him and gently raked her nails down his back, cupping his world class ass in her hands and urging him to go deeper. He took the hint. This time there was no Vampire speed involved. Still looking into her eyes, Eric made love to her tenderly. He reached between them to touch her most sensitive spot and she hissed, bucking her hips and moving in perfect sync with him. Eric brought her right to the edge and pulled his hand away, eliciting a cry of protest which he silenced with another heart stopping kiss. Then he started to move faster, more insistent. He wanted to make her come with his cock. As her walls clenched tightly around him he felt drenched by her juices, and he knew he had succeeded.

"Oh, Eric!" she breathed, arching into him as the world exploded like a mass of fireworks in her head. She felt her climax with her entire body, it was so intensely powerful. As she stared into Eric's eyes, he was her world for just that moment. As aftershocks kept her orgasm alive, Eric roared her name and emptied himself inside of her, thrusting harder and deeper. This was special; he felt her with every ounce of his being, the bond still wide open as they moved together as one. It went on and on until they were both panting hard and trembling. Eric slowed his movements and stayed inside her, leaning on his forearms above her. They both smiled at the same time. He rested his forehead on hers again and closed his eyes; she did the same. A feeling of complete peace and fulfillment came over both of them.

"This is so right," Eric whispered, almost too low for Sookie to hear.

She moved her hands from his behind slowly up his sides and he shivered. She cupped his face in her hands. "Yes Eric. It is." As soon as she said it Eric's happiness and satisfaction flared in the bond, along with determination and anticipation of what was to come. Sookie was overwhelmed by the force of his emotions and gasped, her heart racing as she stared into Eric's eyes.

He kissed her nose and withdrew from her tight passage, rolling on to his side and pulling her against him. She curled into him, their legs entangled in one another's. "You are mine, Sookie Stackhouse," he stated. "You will not leave my side." He let that hang in the air as his fingers began rubbing little circles on her back.

She was so relaxed and content that she replied without thinking. "And you will not leave mine either."

As soon as the words left her mouth she wished she could take them back. She cringed and bit her lip. Eric loved her, yes, but nobody, _nobody_ ordered Eric! Especially since their conversation about his need for dominance in their relationship. She loved that part of him and found it to be sexy as hell. But what would he do about her little outburst? Would he feel the need to make it clear that he could leave if he damn well pleased, just to prove a point? She closed her eyes and froze as his arms tightened around her.

Eric had to fully turn his head to make sure that it was his Sookie lying in bed next to him. She was the most selfless person he knew. She never made demands of him! His eyebrow shot into his hairline and he grinned, but just then he felt her worry through the bond. Did she think she'd done something wrong? He was damn proud to know she felt that way about him and was willing to say it to him like that. That must be it. He would have to make sure she knew how he felt about it, but first he decided to have a little bit of fun with her.

Clamping down on his side of the bond, he tightened his hold on her and rolled her onto her back, rising above her with his weight on his forearms. He fixed his face with a stern look. "Oh?" he growled. It was everything he could do not to laugh at the look on her face. She wouldn't look at him. "Sookie, look at me," he ordered.

Before she did, she closed her eyes for two seconds as if strengthening her resolve. When she opened them, his face was an inch above hers. He stayed there, holding her gaze, daring her to look away. She swallowed nervously and her body froze.

But Eric couldn't maintain his façade for long. His grin was back, fangs fully on display, and he kissed her within an ounce of her life. "I love that you feel this way about me, Sookie," he told her. "Only you can say something like that to me and walk away unharmed. Only you have this power over me." He felt no qualms about letting her know. She had denied both of them this relationship for too long. He was not about to let such a truth go unsaid, most certainly not for some sense of male pride.

Sookie finally exhaled, not realizing that she'd been holding her breath. In the next second, tears were streaming down her face. She had no words for him; didn't want to ruin what was going back and forth through the bond.

Suddenly Eric laughed and began to tickle her, breaking the tension. She giggled as he rolled onto his back, holding her on top of him. He was merciless when he tickled, his hands way too strong and fast for her to resist. She was squirming around trying to dislodge them when she saw the clock on the bedside table. "Eric!" she shrieked in alarm.

The tickling stopped immediately. "What is it, Sookie?" He sat up and looked around, responding to the urgency in her voice.

"The clock!" she cried, pointing. The time was 8:51am. The sun had risen hours ago. "How are you still awake? Will something happen to you?"

He listened to her accelerated heartbeat and the fear in her voice, and pulled her to him. He hugged her tightly and rubbed her back. She was crying again, this time silently. "Sookie, Sookie, it is fine," he soothed her. "At my age, I am able to stay awake in the early parts of the day. Nothing is going to happen."

She reached up to touch his face, almost as though she thought he might disappear or disintegrate. She tried unsuccessfully to stop her tears, blinked, and shook her head. Then she leaned in to rest her head on Eric's chest and tightened her arms around him. "Listen to me," she said with quiet intensity. "You're my rock. You always have been. I don't know why it took me so long to figure it out." She leaned back and looked into his eyes to make sure she had his attention. She did. "I need to know you're safe, so you are not allowed to do anything that will hurt or weaken you!" Up went that damn eyebrow of his, the one she wanted to lick every time he did that.

"Lover, I am fine! Really!" he laughed, and then he kissed her forehead when she didn't stop glaring at him. He rested his chin on top of her head. "Do you want me to call Dr. Ludwig to prove it to you?"

"No, Eric," she sighed. "I believe you. Just, please don't hurt yourself trying to spend more time with me. Promise me?" She tried to pull back to look into his eyes again but he wouldn't let her.

"It has been a long time since someone cared for me in this way," he said softly. "I promise you, Sookie. I will do nothing foolish. Now that I have found you it is more important than ever that I stay strong. You will not get rid of me that easily!" He joked with her.

She laughed, still sniffling a bit, and punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow!" he protested. It hadn't hurt him at all, of course, but he still made a big deal out of it. "One minute you tell me to stay healthy and the next you are beating me up! What was that for?"

"Because I love you, you big dumbass!" she giggled and then squealed when she found herself flat on her back seconds later. All laughter was extinguished the moment he kissed her, long and deep and slow. They made love again, tenderly, this feeling more intimate than any time before because of the truth they had just shared. Afterward they drifted off to sleep, Eric holding Sookie tightly against him.

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**Eric isn't making any threats this time but he really needs your love. He missed you while we were away. Please review?**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi Everyone! I'm back with a short update. Please please don't throw anything too dangerous! There's a poll in my profile that I'd like you to look at. Tell me what size of chapters you would like to see from me in the future. Here's a link:**

**http:/ fanfiction .net/~shadokat**

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**Many many thanks to my beta charhamblin who keeps my facts straight and inspires me every day!**

**And to my best bud briniava, who keeps my spirits up and encourages me to keep writing when I don't think I can!**

**22wolf, thank you for your support and encouragement. You make me smile every day!**

**Luv you ladies!**

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******WARNING! THIS STORY IS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. It is rated M for a reason! _If you are under 18, please don't read my story!_ Eric is dark in this story and his actions toward Sookie have been questionable. If you have a problem with non-traditional and alternative (read *kinky*) forms of sexual play, this is not the story for you. If you do not want to see Eric and Sookie in a Dominant/submissive relationship, please stop reading now. I hope that you will keep reading, but you have been warned!**

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**I do not own any of these wonderful characters. They belong to Charlaine Harris. No infringement is intended.**

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**It's been a few weeks, so let me recap what's been happening. Pam found Fangtasia full of dead, mangled bodies. On Eric's throne was the head of a blonde woman with a strong resemblance to Sookie. Eric anticipated trouble, so he used code to tell Pam what he was doing and pretended to leave for Fangtasia. As soon as he left, Breandan and his thugs came onto Eric's property trying to kidnap Sookie. While Claudine used herself as a decoy to get their attention, Eric swooped down and cut off Lochlan's head (one of Breandan's bad Faery thugs). Breandan and Neave got away but left behind a Vampire, a very young one who smelled of Bill Compton. He was hauled off to be questioned later. Eric sent Claudine away and came home full of bloodlust, and he and Sookie had hot monkey sex until well after sunrise. And so we arrive here.**

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A few minutes after the sun set, Eric opened his eyes. He was surprised to find that neither he nor Sookie had moved. She was still nestled tightly against him, her arm resting atop his waist. It was unlike Sookie to sleep all day but he had kept her busy until long after the dawn should have put him to sleep. He smiled and licked his lips, remembering what they had shared. His arms tightened around her and he bent his head to rub his cheek against the top of her head. Her soft hair was a little damp with sweat. Concerned, he pressed his palm to her forehead, then her cheek. He pulled back the blankets and felt all over her body. She always felt warm to him, but not hot. Today, however, she was burning up. This absolutely could not be normal!

"Sookie!" he whispered loudly, his lips next to her ear. She didn't respond. Cradling her in his arms, he shook her gently. "Lover? Wake up!" He had to ease his grip when he realized that his fingers were digging into her skin. He cursed himself. There would be marks. He held her against him for a few seconds, rocking forward and back, trying to understand where and how she could have gotten sick. She had been more than fine just hours ago! He did know one thing. Sitting here would accomplish nothing.

Carefully easing her onto her back, Eric slid out from his side of the bed. He zipped out to his office at Vampire speed to retrieve his phone from the charger. He had Dr. Ludwig on speed dial.

"Northman?" she answered on the first ring. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Yes, Doctor. I have need of your services." Eric rolled his eyes at the sarcasm in her voice. She was never nice to him or anyone else, but she was skilled beyond anyone he had ever encountered. "Sookie has slept the entire day and is still asleep. She feels like she has a fever. Her skin is much hotter than normal and I can not wake her."

Dr. Ludwig was often unpleasant, but she never downplayed anything. "Are you in your lair?" she asked briskly, in full doctor mode now. "Do you have a thermometer?"

"No, I do not," he responded.

"How does she feel to you? Is she damp, sweaty?" the doctor wanted to know. "You say her skin feels hotter to you than normal? Is it more than just her face?

"Yes, to everything."

"Meet me upstairs in ten minutes. I'll let myself in." She chuckled briefly at her joke; she was able to POP into any location that was not warded against such things. Then she was back to all-business. "Wet a cloth with cool water and bathe her face with it before you meet me," she ordered.

"I will. Thank you Doctor." They hung up at the same time.

Eric was beside himself with worry. He had never cared for a sick human before. He had never cared for a sick _anyone_ in his entire existence. Human symptoms were beyond him; he'd been a Vampire so long that he couldn't remember if he'd ever been sick in his human lifetime. They had a crisis to deal with at Fangtasia but he would delegate that to Pam. Sookie was more important.

He wet the washcloth as the doctor had instructed him, hoping it was the right temperature to help. He took it into the bedroom and smoothed Sookie's hair away from her face, gently bathing it with the cloth. As his thumb passed over her lips, he couldn't resist bending down to softly kiss her. Even her lips were too warm.

She stirred, but didn't wake. "Eric," she mumbled, almost too quietly for him to hear.

"Sookie? Lover?" he tried, but she didn't respond. "Don't you dare think about leaving me!" he said quietly. He moved the washcloth over her face again and took her hand, kneeling next to her until he had to go upstairs to meet the doctor. She arrived just as he stepped into the living room.

"Hello Doctor," he greeted her. "Thank you for coming right away. She spoke to me just now but it was just my name. I do not think she was aware of anything."

"Did you get the cold washcloth like I asked?" she queried.

"Yes, and it was after I bathed her face the first time that she spoke," he replied. "I tried talking to her but I do not think she heard me." Eric was trying not to let his concern show but he didn't fool the doctor.

"Can we go downstairs?" she asked gently. "Fevers are common in humans. It may be just a flu bug." She was trying to reassure him but it wasn't working.

"Yes, come with me," he said. "She has not left this house in days and we encountered no-one who was ill when we were out." He had decided to tell her about the threats against Sookie. "There have been several attempts on her life. You will know if this is the result of magic, yes?" Eric was bristling with impatience at having to lead the short-statured doctor through the security doors. She was one of few people to whom he would show such deference. He knew better than to offer to carry her. He'd made that mistake once when Pam had taken ill some time after her turning. Dr. Ludwig's reply had contained many colorful words that even Eric had not heard before.

"Most likely yes," the doctor nodded. "Calm yourself, Viking! I will do everything I can for your Bonded." Eric didn't know that she was quite fond of and had great respect for him. She had marked Sookie as a very special young woman the first time she had treated her. She would move heaven and earth to cure Sookie of whatever this was. She knew the Northman loved the young woman with all of his being, whether he showed it or not.

Eric nodded soberly as they finally came through the last security door. They walked to the bedside together and then Eric moved to sit on the opposite side of Sookie, taking her hand. He watched as the doctor looked in Sookie's eyes, ears, nose, and down her throat. She took Sookie's blood pressure and temperature and made a face.

"What is it?" Eric demanded.

"Her blood pressure is 88 over 64. That is very low. Have you given her your blood today?" Dr. Ludwig looked him critically in the eye.

"Very early this morning, but not since I rose this evening."

"You have been feeding from her?" the doctor wanted to know.

"Yes, every day."

"I assume you take into account that she needs time to recover from your feeding?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Of course!" he exclaimed. "I take great care not to weaken her. We exchange blood daily. I do not feed indiscriminately!"

"All right, I believe you," she fired back at him. "There are quite a few Vampires who pay no attention to how much they take. I know you care deeply for her."

"I love her, doctor," he said quietly, reaching up to touch Sookie's face and wondering why he would make such a declaration so openly.

"That is quite obvious," she told him with a small smile. "Now, her temperature is 103.1. We have to work to keep it from going any higher. I will need to take a sample of her blood."

Eric was very protective of Sookie's blood. By Vampire law, it belonged to him. "What for?" he demanded.

"I need to run several tests. You say that someone is after her. Could they have slipped something into her food or drink?"

"That is not possible," he affirmed. "Nothing has been brought from outside in days and no-one other than the two of us has been here. We had guests a few days ago but none went into any area where her food is kept."

"Very good," she approved. "I have a hunch and my tests will prove or disprove my theory."

"Will you tell me?" he asked.

She thought about it for a few seconds before answering. He deserved to know, and if she was right, this would most likely pass on its own. "We know that she is changing, growing into her Fae powers. She is becoming something more, though. This is unprecedented in our world." She paused to make sure he was following her and continued when he nodded. "The changes to her body may be affecting her blood chemistry. It is possible that an immune reaction has been triggered by the changes." She had taken out a rubber tourniquet and tied it above Sookie's elbow and was now pushing in the needle. Eric watched her with eyes like a hawk as she extracted several vials. He did not relax until she had removed the needle and wrapped bandaging around the arm.

"How long will it take you to run these tests?" he wanted to know.

"I don't trust anybody else to have this knowledge about her so I'll do them myself as soon as I get back to the office," she explained. "I will call you within a few hours. There is one more test I would like to do while I am here. I will have to taste a drop of her blood. Do you consent?"

He didn't like that one bit, but agreed because she was the doctor. "Before you do this, you will explain the reason," he stated adamantly.

Dr. Ludwig had been prepared for this reaction. "You will taste it too. We are checking for her Fae essence, but there may be other changes that I do not think you will be able to identify. I will."

"I do not share lightly," he said, still agitated by her request.

"You are protective and territorial, as you should be," she smiled at him again. "Come, let us do this so I can get back to my clinic." She took a small lancet from her bag and poked Sookie's left middle finger, then squeezed out a drop and popped it into her mouth. She passed Sookie's hand to Eric and said, "taste."

Eric sucked gently on her finger, drawing out only enough blood to get a taste of what they were looking for. He was surprised and took her finger out of his mouth. "She tastes significantly more of Fae than even this morning!" he exclaimed, putting the finger back in his mouth and drawing another few drops. "But there is something that I do not recognize." His fangs had popped and only with great difficulty did he stop sucking on her finger. He closed his eyes and shuddered as he licked the tiny wound to seal it, placing her hand carefully back on the bed.

Dr. Ludwig was nodding. "Very perceptive, Northman. That small difference is what I believe is causing the fever. It could be one of several things and the taste tells me the direction to go in." She had noticed his reaction to the tiny amount of blood he had tasted. "Do I have to worry about you losing control when feeding?" She folded her arms and stared at him. "If you can't control yourself I'll have to remove her from your care."

Eric was incensed. "You will take her nowhere!" He stood up and towered threateningly over the tiny doctor. "I am no youngling! Control will not be a problem. She is in no danger from me."

"Calm yourself, Vampire," she chuckled at him, unfazed by his aggressive manner. "I trust that you will not harm her, but I had to ask, as her doctor." She looked him square in the eye again. "You are one of the few I believe strong enough to resist such a strong Fae essence in your mate. Nevertheless…" She reached into her bag and pulled out a smaller drawstring bag made of dark maroon velvet, which she handed to him. "I want you to keep this close to her while she is ill. It will neutralize her scent, in a way, help to keep you calm around her." Eric took the bag and opened it to investigate what was inside. All that he found was a small, yellow, egg-shaped stone that was slightly warm to the touch. It had no scent of its own. Satisfied that it wasn't anything suspicious, he nodded and set it down on the nightstand. The doctor packed everything back into her bag and was ready to go in seconds.

"I will walk you back upstairs," he said, gesturing for her to lead the way. He was relieved that she didn't seem overly concerned by Sookie's fever. This made him believe that Sookie was going to be fine.

"She's not unconscious, by the way," Dr. Ludwig assured him as they made their way upstairs and out through the house. "She will wake soon on her own but will be very tired." As they stopped in the living room, she leveled him with a stern look. "Give her your blood, but do NOT drink from her. I want her blood pressure to return to normal and I want to make sure that she can't harm you. Also, we have to take down that fever. When she wakes, run a lukewarm bath and bathe her. Keep up with the cool cloth on her face and give her some Tylenol. If you can stand the heat, hold her close to your body to cool her off. She may get hot and then cold, so be prepared to cater to her comfort. I will be in contact later."

"Thank you Dr. Ludwig." Eric was visibly relieved. The doctor nodded briskly and POPped from the room.

Eric rushed back down the stairs as fast as the security system would let him. He picked up his phone and texted Pam.

ERIC: Situation yours to deal with. Keep the blood warm for me.

Her response was immediate.

PAM: Need you here.

Irritated, he typed back.

ERIC: Deal with you later. Keep that blood VERY warm.

After a few seconds, he received a reply.

PAM: Apologies, Master. Status report later.

The part about warm blood was of course part of the same code that he had used before when dealing with the Fae intruders to his property. It was meant to indicate that Sookie was compromised in some way. The fact that Pam had tried to contradict his order was something he would deal with at a later date. She knew better than to question him under any circumstances, and was more than capable of handling the incident at Fangtasia. She believed that Sookie's presence in Eric's life had softened him almost to the point of danger, something he disagreed with. Nevertheless, he would not leave Sookie's side.

He had one more thing to attend to this night, and it was not something that Pam could do. He was aware that his phone conversations had been overheard, and was sure that his texting was also being monitored. He needed to do a visual sweep of his home to find out if the leak was internal. He would have exterior sweeps done as well, but inspection of the house was down to him. Good thing he knew what to look for.

He could only think of one security breach that could have happened recently; Bill Compton had been in the house. He would find out how Compton had managed to keep his spies from detecting that he was in league with Eric's enemies, but for now all he could do was deal with whatever Compton had brought into his house. Compton had not been trusted and had only been allowed in one room, the upstairs office. He had not been left alone. He must have arranged some kind of distraction that would allow him a second or two to plant something.

Leaving Sookie with a cool cloth on her forehead, Eric quickly went up the stairs and went straight to the office where the meeting about Sookie's enemies had been held the week before. Stopping in the door, he quickly scanned the room. He picked it up quickly. _'Billy, Billy, not too smart are you?'_ he thought, smiling. He walked over to the spot where Compton had been leaning up against the wall, and there was an electrical outlet. Reaching down, he removed the false outlet that had been covering up the real one. It had a tiny circuit board on the back that he took great pains to destroy before crushing the entire thing. There are many ways to monitor wireless transmissions in an area; this one probably used radio frequencies to pick up whatever was transmitted within its area.

Eric was not finished. He inspected every single remaining electrical outlet in the house, but found no more bugs. Then he went back to the office and pulled a thermal imager out of his closet. The thermal imager was a camera that would detect heat, and would show if it was in places where it should not be. Most electronic devices emit at least some heat. Eric started by scanning the office. Sure enough, under the edge of his desk he found a very faint heat signature that shouldn't be there. Again, it was right next to where Compton had been standing during the meeting. Putting his fingers underneath, he felt for it, and it was almost undetectable. It was very flat, and molded to imitate the wood grain of the desk. He pulled it off and crushed it, angry that he had let down his guard enough to let Bill Fucking Compton put Sookie in danger. What could Compton be thinking? Whomever he was working with must have promised Compton that Sookie would be given to him. Compton had never before wanted Sookie dead, unless he had decided that if he couldn't have her nobody else would.

Eric would get Bill Compton. He would enjoy finding out who Compton was working for. He smiled in anticipation, his fangs extending fully and his dick stirring slightly. Oh, yes, Compton would pay.

"Eric?" came a faint voice from downstairs. Sookie was awake! He would have to finish his sweep later.

He rushed down the stairs, again cursing the necessity of the security doors. They were very fast, but not fast enough for an impatient Vampire rushing to his love. Finally through the last one, he hurried to the side of the bed and knelt next to her, taking her hand and using his other hand to feel her forehead.

"What's going on? I feel weird!" she told him, her eyes out of focus as she tried to clear her head.

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**Sookie is sick? Uh-oh! What could be wrong? I hope this cliffy isn't too lame for you.**

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**THANK YOU to everyone who has stuck with me when my updates have been slow. Those of you who review once, or with every chapter, you inspire me! You've made me feel so welcome here! I can't find the words to tell you how much I appreciate you!**

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**Readers, I need your help... I'm having a hard time with Eric. You know how he is! He loves attention! He's talking about going to Vegas to grow one of those cheesy mustaches and be a lounge singer. Please, please, save Eric from this horrible fate! Write to him and show him your love! The review button is below! **


	17. Chapter 17

Update

I know you're not supposed to make your readers think you've posted new chapters just to give them a life update, but I guess that's what I'm doing here. Sorry everyone! I wanted to tell you a few things, the first one being that this story isn't dead. We had a major upset in my family, for the second year in a row, involving the health of my mom and her going into the hospital, then a rehab center for months. During that time I've had to concentrate on her needs and those of the others in my family. I've also got a brand-new full-time job where I haven't worked in years. These two "events" have sucked at my time and energy and left me with no creative imagination whatsoever. So, this is to officially announce that the story will be on hiatus for a little while longer. I can't say exactly how long but what I can tell you is that my creative energy is coming back little by little. I'm writing on some projects with a couple of friends but those things are very minor. I hope to have something new for you soon.

Should you keep me in your alert list? Well, that's up to you! I've enjoyed the journey we've gone on together so far and I'd like to go on to finish it. Your reviews have been inspiring and have brought me back when I thought I had nothing more to share. I'm so very grateful for everything you've ever commented, good and bad! So, I hope you'll keep track of me and my little story. I think I'll have very good things for you soon.

When I do return, I promise that I'll recap the entire story so that you won't have to go back and reread.

Thanks everyone! I'll see you again soon!


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